A Heart Matters
by Khbrake
Summary: Just another homicide for Det. Rizzoli and Dr. Isles, until they find themselves wrapped up in a Fringe investigation. Romantic pairing of Rizzoli and Isles, with some good old fashioned sci-fi fun. Will be M rating eventually, so I am putting it there early. Crossover, but mainly Rizzoli and Isles.
1. A Discovery

**A/N: This is a little thing I've had in my head for a while because I love Fringe and Rizzoli and Isles. I thought it would be fun to see what would happen if the characters collided. I am not an expert many any stretch of the imagination when it comes to crimes or the fringe sciences. This story takes place sometime in "season 2" of R & me…and sometime before the season 4 of Fringe. Mainly because my favorite Walter is the Walter from Season 3.**

**I do not own any of these shows or characters, I just like to throw them in the pot and see what happens.**

**Chapter 1**

Jane Rizzoli rolled over and felt the wet licking on her face. Twisting away from it she wearily opened her eyes to see her dog. She slammed her eyes shut again, "Jo, not now!" She rolled over to her other side and felt a warm body begin to stir. She opened her eyes and saw a man smiling at her. _Shit, who the...Casey! _He slowly came into focus as the sleep drained from her eyes.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" he said beaming. He reached over and tried to slide his arm under her head. She immediately sat up and looked over at him. She wiped a lazy hand over her face. Here she was again, making bad decisions. When Casey was able to go on leave in Boston, she usually let him come over to hang out. That hanging out sometimes involved drinking. The drinking tended to turn into some kind of drinking game. Once drunk, she often found it difficult to control her sexual frustration. However, this time he didn't make his required early exit. _What the...does he think I want to cuddle?_

"You're still here? Come on! You know the drill! And don't ever call me Sunshine. Have I ever seemed like a 'Sunshine' to you?" Her voice squeaked and she couldn't hide the annoyance. The man didn't seem to care much. He sat up and leaned in for a kiss. He was halted by a hand on his chest, his lips still puckered and ready. "Um, morning breath..." She let it hang there for a minute until something seemed to register on his face. _Thank God...why did I do this...again? _

He hopped out of the bed and grabbed his bag on the floor and dug around. "I know the drill but I figured that this morning we could risk it. Your mother can't come over to surprise us this time. I put the chain on the door." He walked into the bathroom and she heard the sink begin to flow.

Jane put her head in her hands. She chastised herself, this was her fault. She was the one who made the choice to sleep with him again. She slid out of the covers and grabbed her robe from the closet and quickly put it on as the bathroom door opened. She spun around. "Put on some pants..." She closed her eyes at the sight.

"You, uh...didn't mind seeing this last night." He spotted his boxers in a lump on the floor. He bent over to retrieve them. "By the way you're acting it seems like you don't want me here this morning. It also seemed that way by the second toothbrush in your holder." He looked at her with the boxers in his hand.

"Casey, I'm sorry. I'm not used to the morning after thing. I'm being an asshole." She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek and could smell the minty freshness on his breath. "Thanks for brushing your teeth." She feigned a smile. "But," she laughed, "the second toothbrush isn't what you think." She laughed again when his eyes became quizzical. "It's Maura's. Didn't you notice it has a battery and all sorts of other fancy shit sitting in the medicine cabinet."

"I didn't look in the medicine cabinet." He smiled and started putting on the shorts, "What other 'shit' does she keep here? That's kinda weird, right? I mean, I know she's weird and all. But still who leaves a toothbrush at her friend's apartment?" He started to chuckle but quickly stopped when he saw Jane's face.

"First of all, you haven't earned the right to say she's weird. Secondly, she's my _best_ friend and my apartment is closer to work. She's got a few things here just in case." Jane looked over at the closet door which was wide open. She saw her mess of clothes on one side and the other side hung a few very expensive dresses hung in perfect spacing. Underneath the dresses were two pairs of designer pumps. _That's not really weird...right?_She turned back to face Casey who had followed her gaze to the closet and met her eyes.

"Are you shitting me? Just in case of what? That's weird with a capital 'W' How often does she sleep here? You know that woman would never sleep on the couch. God, I bet she makes you sleep on your own couch! Why do you even put up with her?" He was so busy questioning her friendship with the Doctor that he stopped noticing the growing irritation in Jane's body language.

"No, we share the bed!" she shouted in exasperation, not realizing or caring how it sounded. "It's not any of your business so shut the fuck up about her." She rolled her eyes and looked over at her alarm clock. "Fuck, it's getting late. You gotta get outta here so I can get ready for work." He laughed a little uneasily and wandered around the room picking up random pieces of clothing.

She watched him until her phone rang and she grabbed it, "Rizzoli." She smiled when she heard the voice on the other end. "Hey, Maur...yeah. I'll meet you there in forty minutes," she looked over at Casey and turned towards the bathroom, "You know what I like, order for me." Casey stood with his arms full of clothes and looked at the detective as she hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. She looked over her shoulder at him, "You can let yourself out right?"

"Yeah," he said as the door closed behind her. "Yeah, that's not weird at all."

* * *

The detective walked into her living room and handed a glass of wine to the woman sitting on her couch. After a long day, all she wanted was a nice drink and a little girl talk that did not include her awkward morning with Casey. She sat on the couch and tucked her foot under her other leg. She leaned back and took a swig from her bottle of beer. She sighed, "What a day! God Maur, sometimes I...I just can't stand having to tell a mother that her son is dead!" She looked over at Doctor Maura Isles who was sitting upright on the edge of the couch swirling the liquid in her wine glass.

"It's never straightforward," she started, "but at least when you deliver the news you make them feel at ease. You're very good with people, Jane." She lifted the glass to her lips and took a small drink. Jane just sat and watched her. "Let's...can we not talk about work," she said looking into the crimson liquid, "anything else would be a more appropriate topic for conversation after the day we've had." Jane looked over at the other woman and realized that she understood more than most what emotional toll it took to watch a loved one identify a body. She saw it more often than the detective. _You can't be Queen of the Dead without seeing the effects it leaves on the living._

"You are right!" she leaned over and grabbed the remote control sitting on her coffee table. Wordlessly, she turned on the television and turned the volume down. "There, now we've got background noise."

Maura laughed lightly, "If you want to watch the game, I can go home."

"No! I want you here." She put a firm hand on her thigh. Maura's eyes opened wider at the jarring way Jane reacted. "We can talk about shoes if you want," she offered. _Shoes? Are you nuts, Rizzoli? That's your recovery? _She saw how Maura perked up and sat up even straighter than she was before. _Is that even possible? Of course it is...it's Maura._She noticed out of the corner of her eye that a foot shot up towards her.

"I wasn't sure if you'd notice, but I did just get my new Jimmy Choo shoes yesterday. I was quite comfortable all day, I thought for sure they would be too tight." Her eyes gleamed with excitement and Jane forced a caring smile.

"Of course, I noticed your new shoes. This is why I brought it up. I'm glad they worked out for you. It can't be easy standing beside a dead body all day with uncomfortable pumps." Jane took a sip of her beer.

"Jane, I don't wear them when I'm working on a body, that would cause all sorts of issues with pronation, which could cause me to have plantar fasciitis, Haglund's deformity, neuromas or any other number of conditions which would be very painful. I wear them to crime scenes because you never know when someone will take your photo." She said this as if it was the most common of information that currently escaped the Detective.

"Maur, you wear pumps all the time. How do you avoid the planty-deform-neuromation-whoser whatzit?" She laughed at the obvious lack of logic. Maura looked at her with a questioning look and Jane decided to let it go. "But these are amazing," she pointed. "I love them. They look great on you." It worked. The doctor smiled and relaxed a bit. Her body shifted on the couch and she leaned against the cushion.

"Jane Rizzoli, you always know when to say something very sweet to me." She sipped the last of the liquid from her glass and held the stem lightly looking into it.

"I do what I can," she leaned forward and grabbed the glass out of Maura's hand and walked back to the kitchen. "Did I tell you that Korsak has been sneaking out by seven thirty every night this week?" She poured until the glass was filled.

"Really? He stays later than almost anyone else up there, except for you." She accepted the glass and quietly thanked the detective. "So, do you think he's seeing someone?" she smirked and raised an eyebrow. Her lips immediately puckered slightly as she waited for the answer.

Jane laughed and put her beer on the table next to the remote. _God, she is SO flirty!_"It's highly possible. I remember the last time he left early was when he had his eye on this woman. He would go to a gym that she worked out at. I doubt he ever even approached her. Of course, when I found out I gave him a lot of crap, because it's funny...you know, the idea of Korsak working out to impress someone." They both laughed. "Ah, I kinda feel bad though now cause he stopped going. I think I embarrassed him past the point of no return."

The detective made her career with an unmatched ability to read cues from people. Witnesses could tell her there was something they weren't telling her based on their body language or the way they paused during the story. Perhaps, they searched for lies with eye movement. Perps had their own way to tell her what she needed to know by the look in their eyes when she brought up a key piece of information that they didn't realize was evidence against them. Attorneys asked questions in open court, but she always was able to tell when the line of questioning coming up was going to try to derail her testimony, simply by their stance change.

Her intuition and problem solving abilities were very sharp and it quite often amazed the people she worked with that she could so quickly make correlations between situations and ideas. It was something that the Medical Examiner found so intriguing about her. Maura on the other hand needed direct evidence that pointed to a specific conclusion. But Jane was correct more times than not and that challenged her intellectually. It was a challenge that the caramel blond was more than willing to take on.

Jane's family and friends were not immune to this type of character reading. She had always noticed how different Maura was around her after she had a few drinks. The flirting and touching was a lot more than if they were just hanging out. Jane always noticed the changes in her facial expressions. The slight pull up of her shoulder or even the faintest of blush crawling up her cheeks. She never minded. But she was always certain it was there.

Jane was already very aware of her attraction to her friend. She could feel her stomach butterflies whenever she felt a brush of her hand. She felt a certain void and loneliness when she sat at home in her apartment and would wonder about what the Doctor was doing in that same moment. She knew that she wanted to kiss her. She thought about it in that brief moment before she fell asleep. What it would feel like? Would it even feel explosive? Maybe it would surprise her and it would be like kissing a sister that she never had.

She tried to bring it up a few times in conversation. _ Are we having a sleepover or Is this your way of telling me that you're attracted to me? _Of course, that night there was no drinking. There was too much at stake to have had any alcohol. Hoyt on the loose isn't exactly a time to not have your wits about you. Maura's reaction didn't reveal much as far as confirming anything the Detective wanted to confirm. It seemed to come off more like a sarcastic joke. She had let it slide because she was so terrified of the situation.

"...with Korsak anyways. Most people do...you know it might not have had anything to do with you. You aren't the center of the universe." Maura kicked her shoes off, pulled her feet up to the couch and tucked them under her. She took another sip. Jane snapped back to the conversation and wondered how much she had missed while she was caught up in her own thoughts.

"Bullshit! I'm totally the center of the universe!" She laughed and looked to see if Maura had noticed the absence. "And if I am for no one else, I'm probably the center of _your _universe." Maura blushed and took a large gulp of wine. Jane saw her face redden and realized the comment made the doctor uncomfortable. "I'm just kiddin', Maur."

The uncharacteristic gulp of wine ran down the back of her throat and when her head snapped back into position, Maura realized she felt a little tipsy. "No, you're right." Jane stiffened with a surprised look at her friend and her stomach flipped. Maura smiled back at her. "It probably was your fault that he lost his chance to find love." Her shoulder lifted and turned slightly and her hazel eyes fluttered.

Jane breathed out a little too heavy and relaxed a bit. "You're full of jokes tonight," she stood up and walked back into the kitchen to hide her disappointment. She grabbed the bottle of wine and brought it back to the couch. "If you keep drinking like that might as well keep the bottle over here. Actually, if you're gonna keep drinking like that you should to stay here tonight."

Maura closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, "I should go home, I have to make sure Bass is taken care of." She opened her eyes and stared into Jane's. All of a sudden, Jane felt hot under the collar. She tried to look away but Maura's eyes were burning into her own. Her mind began racing as she tried to read the Doctor's body language. She was leaning forward, if the brunette had ventured a look down, she would be able to see down her shirt. She resisted the temptation.

_I swear she wants me to beg her to stay! How is this happening? My best friend is acting like she's totally into me. Fuck. Ignore it Rizzoli, a few hours of fun or the rest of our careers having to suffer and know what that felt like? You can enjoy her like this forever. Just friends. There is no pressure. She obviously isn't thinking this through. This is not okay. She's still daring you! Break eye contact...God, her eyes are so beautiful...JANE, look away! _Finally, she seemed to calm the battle in her mind and forced herself to turn her head towards her barely touched bottle of beer that was now leaving little drops of condensation on her coffee table. She stood up and went to the kitchen and got herself a glass of water. "Well, I haven't really even touched my beer, so I'll take you home whenever you're ready. Relax, I'll get you home safe and sound." She called out from the kitchen. Maura nodded and sank back into the couch.

"So, you've been spending more time with your mother?" She asked as Jane rejoined her.

"What? No, not really."

"Oh, she's been coming in late, I figured you two had decided to spend some time together. Maybe she's with Tommy or Frankie."

"Dr. Isles...did you just take a...guess?"

"Hmm?"

"You know, a guess. You guessed that I was spending time with Ma cause she's been coming home late. Which by the way is a little weird that you know that."

Maura laughed, "It's not weird at all, I can hear her car when she drives into the driveway. I am usually lying in bed reading. I hear the door to her apartment open and close. And It's not guessing. I had certain pieces of evidence and put together a hypothesis. I tested the hypothesis by asking you if you were spending more time with her."

"Yeah, that's not guessing at all." Jane reached over and pushed the other woman's shoulder slightly. She watched Maura as she laughed and looked up at her.

Jane enjoyed these moments with Maura where she was much more carefree and it almost felt like they could teeter on the edge of sexual tension without falling onto one side or the other. All the while, wondering if Maura was enjoying the same unspoken exhilaration. The random moments where Maura had reached across the couch and placed her hand on a leg or an arm during an in depth description of the socio-economic side effects of something or other warmed Jane. _Just enjoy this. This moment right here. This is more than enough, more than I could ever hope for._

"Jane, would you like to help me hypothesize? Maybe she has found a man?"

"Ok, I think we've gone beyond hypothesizing, A. K. A. guessing, and No. She has not found a man. She is Ma, she cooks and cleans and gives us a hard time. She doesn't have time for a man. Pop only fit in cause it was just how it worked."

"It was just how it worked, hmm?" Jane hated that tone. It was just a question, but a loaded one that stood on the precipice of proving Jane wrong. "I think she is a beautiful woman who is more than capable of handling her life and dating. She is single, you know."

"New rule for this evening...no more talk about my mother and her dating life. Mostly, cause she doesn't have one...or need...one." She looked at the blond her gave her a stern look.

"Fine." Maura acquiesced.

This gave Jane an uneasy pause. "Really?"

"Really."

"You gave up that easily? You aren't going to tell me how even older women can benefit from sexual activity, blah, blah, blah?"

Maura gave a sly smirk, she was having a hard time not making a comment. "I didn't give up. I am respecting your wishes." She drank the rest of the liquid in her glass, Jane knew this was so that she could keep herself distracted.

"Respecting my wishes? That's it. You've had enough wine." She reached for her glass and got a swat that landed across her wrist. It stung a little more than she had expected.

Maura tried to stand up. Jane saw her sway and prepared herself for a collision. She grabbed her by her hips and held her upright. Maura looked down at her and she could have sworn that Maura had a look in her eye. That look someone gets before they kiss you. _ She wants to kiss me? _She quickly dismissed the fleeting thought and stood to help Maura. "Ok, I think it's just about time to take you home." She grabbed her keys and slipped on some shoes.

She could feel Maura's eyes on her as she walked around the room gathering things. Jane felt the heat creep up her neck once again.

She opened the door when they finally reached the car and helped Maura sit. She walked around to the other side of the car and got in. After her seat belt was securely fastened, she pulled out onto the empty street and headed for Maura's. It was fairly quiet until the Doctor spoke frantically. "Jane... pull the car over...right now."

"Shit, are you gonna lose it? Open the damn door!" She immediately saw an empty spot along the street and pulled over along a red curb and threw the car into park. But then Maura laughed. Disconcerted, Jane turned in her seat to prepare for whatever was about to happen. "Maur, out the door, please not in my car!"

"No," she said as she turned towards Jane in her seat. Jane pointed back to the door not quite believing her.

"Just lean out of the door...are you ok?" Maura laughed again.

"Jane, I just wanted to make out with you." She leaned forward putting one hand on the back of Jane's seat while the other one wrapped itself around Jane's neck and pulled her into a kiss. The shock of it caused Jane to freeze until her brain caught up with the moment and she pulled back.

"Maur, we can't do this."

"Yes, we can. Don't sit there and act like you don't know how we feel about each other. I just want to kiss you." She leaned in again. This time Jane didn't pull away as quickly and she let herself feel the warmth and softness of the lips on her own. She felt a zing crawl up her spine and her stomach butterflies began fluttering with a new found furry. After a few moments, she pulled her lips away and let her forehead lean on Maura's. She lifted her head and looked into beautiful hazel eyes.

"But now we both really know. How can this not affect our friendship? How can it not affect our job?" she whispered. Maura put her hands on both sides of her face and leaned her forehead until it was touching Jane's again.

"Just kiss me, we'll figure everything out later." She smiled.

"You...are drunk." She returned the smile and watched the other woman's lips move as she spoke.

"No. I didn't even have an entire bottle of wine. It was just a little liquid courage to act on something I've wanted to do for a long time. Oh, Jane, it's been such a long time." Their foreheads still held their contact. Jane closed her eyes for a brief moment before she sat back and looked at the woman sitting in her car.

"Look, you are so far out of my league. I mean, I've wanted this, too. But our friendship means everything to me. I didn't want to cross that line because what if there was no reciprocation from you? Fuck!" She slammed her hands against the steering wheel. She took a moment and whispered, "I never thought that kissing you would feel so...electric." Jane leaned back in and kissed her again, hungrily.

Maura opened her mouth and took in the detective's tongue. She moaned and Jane grabbed the blond's face for something to hold onto and smiled. Lips and tongues crashed into one another until each one almost felt as if they had been connected at the mouth forever. After a few minutes, Maura sat back and grinned, "Oh so...electric, Detective." Jane sat there looking into her hazel eyes, breathing heavily, her mouth slightly open.

After a moment, Jane turned suddenly and took the car out of park and pulled back out onto the street. The street lights glowed in the slight haze as fog started to appear. She drove out of her neighborhood towards Maura's house in silence. She watched the Detective stare blankly out into the world. Her body language was conveying stiffness. Confused, Maura sank back into her seat to look out the window. She saw when Jane had turned onto her street and felt the car slow down.

"I'm sorry, Jane," she said when Jane pulled into the driveway. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry." She looked down at her hands, taking a deep breath; she slowly reached down towards the floor of the car and grabbed her purse. She gave the detective one more look. Jane had both hands on the steering wheel and was still staring out of the front of the car with knuckles turning white with effort.

Maura sighed then reached for the door handle. When it clicked, the detective spoke, almost inaudible. "Don't ever be sorry about that, Maur. I'm not angry, never at you. You just have...no idea." Maura swung the door open and got out of the car. She walked over to her front door fished out her keys and went inside. The brunette sat there for a few minutes, just staring, then put the car in reverse and started the drive back home.


	2. Just Another Day on the Job

**Chapter 2**

"Rizzoli!" Jane awoke with a start as the phone collided with her ear.

"Jane, you gotta get to Harvard campus as soon as you can. DB in the yard. Students will be walking around for early morning class soon." Frost said.

"Geez, could you narrow it down for me? The campus is huge!" She wiped her hand down her face to clear her face of the sleep induced invisible mask. She strained to open her eyes as she turned on the lamp.

"Longwood campus, off of Huntington Ave, behind the Kresge Building. Sorry, it's 4 in the morning. I ain't exactly awake yet either." He yawned.

"Ok, I can be there in 30 minutes."

* * *

Jane arrived on the scene and saw Maura already leaning over what seemed to be a male student lying face down in the grass. She looked around and saw various officers talking to each other. A older man wearing a trench coat and hat was standing on the other side of the yellow tape stretched between two trees. She thought him odd since he had a bucket of popcorn in his arm while a hand seemed to continuously stream between grabbing fluffy popped kernels and shove them into his mouth. She watched him for a moment, dismissed him, and walked over to the body.

She grabbed the rubber gloves out of her jacket pocket and started putting them on. "So, what have we got here?" She looked sheepishly at Maura who hadn't even noticed Jane's arrival. She looked away from the Doctor and saw Korsak taking a statement from a young woman who was very upset. Obviously, she had been the one to find the body.

"I have no idea," she said and stood up. She grabbed Jane's arm and pulled her over to the side. Quietly she started again, "Jane, this is the strangest thing I have ever seen. I...I mean, I have no idea how to even look at this body."

"Maur, what are you talking about?" She bent down slightly and looked into Maura's eyes as she rolled them at the absurdity of the question. "You were just looking at the body!" Jane looked over at the gentleman again; he had started yelling at the two women.

"Excuse me! Doctor? Detective?"

She motioned at a group of officers, "Can you get that guy outta here? Come on guys! Do your job." She looked back at Maura whose face was full of annoyance.

"Jane, I have never seen anything like that before. The victim has a perfectly shaped circle straight through his body. The surrounding damaged tissue has been completely cauterized. There is no blood anywhere which is odd since it seems as if he fell into his current position where he died. I have no idea why there wouldn't be any..." She turned her head as she heard voices rising in volume.

"Get your hands off me young man! I am standing on the outside of this yellow police tape; I have a right to be here. My lab is just inside this building. I said hands off!" Jane headed towards the scuffle and Maura followed behind.

"Guys, come on!" The officers seemed to shrug and took a step back with their hands held out. "Sir, listen to me. This is a potential homicide crime scene and I need you to move along." Jane said trying to calm the man down.

"These brutes are trying to strong arm me and I won't tolerate it. Not at all. I know what a crime scene is detective, I have worked plenty in my life." Jane rolled her eyes.

"Ok sir, you really need to move along, go home."

He turned his attention to Maura. "Dr. Isles, I presume!" Maura looked at him quite shocked.

"Yes?" she said.

"As the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you must be quite amiss with a hole through a man's torso." He chuckled. "However, I'm sure you'll find that his blood is intact in his body. The cauterization didn't allow him to bleed even for a moment."

"How did you..." Jane's mouth opened and hung that way for a moment.

Maura looked at him; there was a single piece of popcorn on his shirt. "Sir, where you listening to our conversation?"  
"Dr. Isles, I am also a Doctor. Dr. Walter Bishop! I don't need to listen to a conversation to know what happened to that young man over there. I can see enough from where I stand. If you want you could bring him to my lab, right inside here. You won't have the necessary equipment to look at him and I would be most fascinated to look at the body myself, of course, you are more than welcome to join me." Walter smiled at the M.E.

Maura quickly catalogued what she might need to find out what had happened and it had escaped her. What type of technology would be necessary? She considered the man's awkwardness and immediately felt a strange kinship with him. Jane's mouth dropped again as she looked at Maura, who seemed to be considering this whack job's offer. "Sir, this is a police investigation and that is completely inappropriate." She looked across the yard and saw Frost talking to Korsak. She rolled her eyes at this absurd situation.

"Detective, my associates will be here soon enough and it will no longer be a police investigation. So, I would suggest you bring the body to my lab and allow Dr. Isles and me to our work!"

Maura looked at Jane and shrugged her shoulders, "Sir, um...Dr. Bishop. Why do you think I wouldn't have the necessary equipment at the Morgue?"

"Because it would be impossible for you or anyone to ever see instant cauterization of such a large size in a perfect circle. Did you already measure the diameter? Obviously, it was an electrocautery that was instant enough to completely seal the blood in the body." He boomed as he held his index finger up in the air. Then, crouched over slightly and changed the volume in his voice to almost a whisper. "There are no chemicals that could have done the job in such a clean manner. Doctor have you ever seen an electrocauterization of that size and magnitude? Of course, not! Aspirin should be here shortly, let's get this man into the lab!" He held his index finger in the air again and turned to leave. He stopped when he realized no one else moved.

Jane looked at Maura and motioned for her to get back to the body. "Jane, I think we should take the body to his lab."

"What? Are you insane? This is the crime scene, chain of evidence. We can't just up and take a body to an unknown location because some crazy guy used a big word that only you understand."

"Detective, I am telling you that as the Chief Medical Examiner, my morgue is ill equipped to handle this case and we are in the public health area of Harvard's campus. I have never seen this type of injury before, nor have I ever seen anything like this in any of the medical journals. But Dr. Bishop accurately described what I saw. We need to move the body to his lab now." Maura turned and walked back towards the body. Jane looked over at the man and rolled her eyes. She tried to push away the hurt of her friend pulling rank on her. _This is a very bad idea._

"Maur, we can't just move a body to some lab, because some guy said so. Dr. Bishop or whatever his name is could have been the guy who killed this kid, now in some perverse need he wants to do who knows what with the body." She pulled her away and lowered her voice. "I didn't think kissing me would have you completely out of your mind." She looked around to confirm no one was listening. When she looked back at Maura her face was teeming with anger. Her hand dropped from the other woman's arm.

"How dare you say that to me! _**That **_issue...has nothing to do with my professionalism or this case. If _**That **_issue has made you question my ethics or sanity and wellness of my mind, then it is obvious that you do not know me at all." She straightened herself and held her head a little higher. "Detective, inform your Seargent that we need to transport the body where I decide, which WILL be to that man's lab. Do you understand me?" Jane looked at Maura's face and knew a line had just been drawn. Throwing the previous night into the ME's face was not the appropriate approach and regret seeped in. Maura called out to some of her assistants as she walked away from a flabbergasted Detective. Jane followed silently with her head hanging.

* * *

Maura followed the body very closely as they entered the expansive lab in the basement. Jane was surprised that it actually looked like a lab. Tubes and bubbling liquids seemed to be scattered around the large room. Along one side was a row of large windows and on the other side were smaller rooms defined by large arched openings. A large metal autopsy table stood in the middle of the room. The crazy man was motioning towards the table. Maura looked around and immediately felt comfortable with her uncharacteristic decision.

It was Jane that was having a hard time looking around at various pieces of equipment. _Great, I've walked into Dr. Frankenstein's lab full of "sciencey" things._ She had a bad feeling about this whole situation. This was her case and she could not pull her mind out of the previous night. She thought about how it was such a bad idea to kiss Maura. This was her evidence. She had completely lost sight of this young student's _potential_murder.

She looked over at Maura and remembered what she tasted like. Her mind began to drift and felt her stomach lurch. A small smile came over her face when she recalled what it felt like when their lips crashed together. The chemistry was amazing. The most amazing feeling she had ever felt. She smiled to herself as she watched the woman in action. She suddenly wished she hadn't let Maura get out of the car without telling her everything would be ok. They could figure out what it all meant. Kissing her was better than she had imagined. It almost seemed magical. Then, her mind went where it always did, once together how could they ever be together? Her mother would never accept them. Catholic guilt started to creep in as she watched the woman interact with Walter. She was abruptly pulled from her reverie, by the crazy old man yelling at Maura's team.

"Please, put him here." He walked over to an office while removing his trench coat. When he reappeared, a white lab coat had taken its place. "Dr. Isles, I have an extra lab coat in the office that my son uses from time to time if you'd like to borrow it." Jane rolled her eyes as Maura nodded and walked across the room.

Maura instructed the techs to go back out to the crime scene. They looked around befuddled and turned to slowly leave the lab. Jane watched them and realized that this space was sterile. It surprised her as she took a few more steps further inside. She looked around again and was slightly impressed with the large brick archways. She briefly looked into the few she could.

"What the hell is that? Is that a fucking COW?" She saw the beast and couldn't hold in her reaction.

"Jane," Maura had turned, "The DNA of a cow is only a few lines from a human. If DNA analysis is to be done which would you rather study? Quite brilliant actually."

"Well done, Dr. Isles! The only thing better than a cow is a human. Unless you want..."

"Milk." She said to Walter's surprise. She smiled at him.

"That's right! Then, you really need a cow. Dr. Isles...please call me Walter." He paused to smile back at her when he heard a commotion at the door. He was becoming enamored with the M.E.

"Walter? What is going on here?" sounded a young woman's voice. Jane spun towards the door. She saw a petite woman looking at her curiously.

"ASTEROID!" Jane jumped at this sudden loud yell. She looked at Walter and then back at Asteroid. _Her name is Asteroid? _"Come in, please come in. We have company today. Perhaps we could get some ginger ale or licorice. Dr. Isles would you care for some licorice?"

"Walter, please call me Maura. And no thank you." Jane walked over completely stunned at this scene out of a crazy ass dream. She looked over at "Asteroid", who looked a little frail.

"I'm sorry but who is this woman, if I may ask." Jane pointed at the woman.

"I am Junior Agent Astrid Farnsworth, assistant to Special Agent Olivia Dunham. I work with Walter on cases. And who are you?" She looked at Walter for a brief moment until she turned back to Jane.

"You're FBI?" Astrid Nodded. "And you work with this guy?" She thumbed toward Walter. Astrid Nodded again. She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli, Boston Homicide. This is Dr. Maura Isles, the Chief Medical Examiner." She gestured towards Maura, who heard the inflection in Jane's voice as she pronounced her title. "What the hell is the FBI doing with this lab? And are you sure you work with this nut job here? I mean he called you Asteroid."

"I'm sorry but our work is classified, you'll have to address any other questions with Special Agent Dunham. And Walter is not a nut job, quite the opposite. He is probably the most brilliant scientist the world has ever known."

Walter smiled affectionately at the small framed woman. "Thank you, Agent Farnsworth; however, I have spent a great deal of time in a mental institution, St. Claire's Hospital. So, I suppose the Detective here has some deductive skills that could prove useful to the case."

He walked away and Maura followed him. Astrid turned as Frost burst through the door, "Jane, they are still up there looking for things before wrapping up. Why are you down here?" He turned and saw Astrid. "Hey there," he flashed a smile and put his hands in his pockets. Astrid smiled back. They started a small conversation and left Jane out of it.

"Not you too, Casanova!" The pair ignored the comment as their flirting continued. Jane was completely out of her element. She looked around the lab again. _What the hell? The FBI, this crazy sonuvabitch, and how am I going to explain this to Korsak and Cavanaugh. Gee...sorry, I'm a little distracted, sir. My best friend kissed me a few hours ago. Now I've let her completely ruin this murder investigation because I'm obviously already pussy whipped._ She looked over at Maura who was intensely looking at the body with Walter standing next to her. Frost was talking to...no, not talking to...flirting with this FBI woman. There was a cow happily eating in a corner. _ JANE, WAKE UP! _"Does anyone else think that this is completely crazy? Am I dreaming?" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. The door opened again. "Seriously, can someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?"

Jane turned and came face to face with a tall blond woman who was wearing a pantsuit and a gun holstered on her hip. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she stood very similarly to Jane. Both women had their hands on their hips and both held their posture with authority. They stood there staring at each other.

"I'm FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, and who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing in our lab?"


	3. Team Building

**Chapter 3**

"I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli, Boston Homicide." She held out her hand. "I am trying to maintain my crime scene. We were called in on a DB." The blond looked at the outstretched hand and smirked. Jane pulled her hand back and shoved it into her pocket. Jane and Olivia stood there looking at each other for a moment. Each woman stood there sizing the other up.

"Ah, so you are that idiot detective that shot herself during some hostage situation. I saw it briefly on the news or something." Jane rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, and that serial killer had a hard on for you? What was his name? Hummer? No. Hayley? Wait…Hoyt? Yeah, it was Hoyt."

"Yeah, well...He's dead now…one less sociopath in the world." Jane deadpanned obviously not amused.

"So, you know that jackass Agent Dean? I can't stand that guy." Jane was feeling unnerved by how much this woman seemed to know about her. "I saw the crime scene is out there." She threw a thumb behind her as she spoke. "And you still haven't answered my question. Why are you in here?"

Frost and Astrid looked back and forth between the two women. The tension building was becoming too much and they decided to go and join Maura and Walter; this was going to be uncomfortable. As they started to walk away, Frost looked at Jane with an "I'm sorry, but I gotta bale" face. She looked at the two retreating forms and then back at Olivia. The two glared at each other for a few more moments. Finally, Jane decided to give her frustrated answer.

"My M.E. insisted we bring our body in here since Walter proposed they brought the body in his lab. Obviously, I wanted to just send the body back to my morgue. You know, like a normal investigation. Now, I'm in a secret FBI lab in the middle of Harvard's campus talking to someone who knows way more about me than I would like."

"Your M.E. just decided to bring a body here? I know about you because you make reckless decisions and it gets put out in public." Olivia immediately thought the possessiveness of Jane was off putting.

Jane shifted her stance slightly and straightened her shoulders defensively, "I wouldn't call it reckless to do my job." The raised volume of her voice grabbed the attention of Maura and Walter both of them looking up from the body for the first time since they started working.

"Olivia!" cried Walter, oblivious to the tension in the room. He motioned his arms wildly indicating her to approach his table. She stared Jane down as she slowly made her way further into the lab. Jane decided she did not like this woman as she followed behind her. _Look at that swagger; what the hell is she trying to prove here? This is my crime scene. I am NOT letting the feds take it._

Maura smiled, "Jane, you have to see this. It's incredible. It seems like whoever did this was attempting to remove only his heart. It is completely missing. Any other organ was just collateral damage. The intended target was the heart." The doctor had seemed to have forgotten her anger for the moment. Jane was sure Maura would have a scientific reason as to why her anger had subsided so quickly, but Jane didn't really care about that. She was glad that her friend was talking to her again.

As she approached the body, Olivia stepped over in front of her and leaned over looking at what Maura was pointing at. Aggravated, she stepped to the side and leaned over the body. For a brief moment she willed herself to focus even more closely in an unnoticed effort to outdo the new blond woman. Jane looked at the hole in the man's torso for a moment, and then up into Maura's excited hazel eyes. _They look greener when she's excited. Just like last night in the car right before she kissed me. _Jane smiled at the thought of her lips pressed against the Medical Examiners. _ Look at her, she's perfect. _

Walter had been talking about something and when she heard him say, "Which is why I am forming a theory that this is the doing of a body organ thief." That snapped her attention back to the case. _Shit! I have got to stop doing that!_She chastised herself and quickly looked at Olivia to see if she had noticed the brief mental absence.

"Hold on, just a minute. Let's not jump to crazy ass conclusions." She looked at Maura who seemed to know that the brunette learned something from the Doctor about assuming. There was something about the examiner that started to alter how the detective processed information. "For the sake of argument, what kind of technology would be needed to steal an organ? If he was going to die anyways, why not kill him and harvest more than just his heart?"

"Yeah, wouldn't the perpetrator need other organs if they were going to sell them on the black market?" Olivia piped in not to be outdone by the Brunette. She straightened her stance and crossed her arms and looked at Jane.

Jane felt the searing of Olivia's eyes on her, picking up on the new game of _anything you can do, I can do better. _She smiled at the challenge. "It might not be an organ selling motive. How would they know if the organs were harvestable without cutting this guy open first? Olivia moved to ask another unanswerable question.

Maura spoke up first, "Marks on the ground show footprints walking and pausing. He dropped straight forward and fell. We found him where he died. There are no indications that he had ever been cut enough to properly examine for healthy organs."

"Yes," the older man began. He seemed to pause for a moment, "maybe whoever did this was not looking for healthy organs at all. The precise nature of the hole indicates they were only after the heart. Fascinating. Perhaps, someone was attempting bio-suspension which is the science of inducing, managing, and relieving physical stasis in higher life forms. The human heart is such an amazing feature in the human body as it is literally at the heart of life."

"Are you suggesting that aliens came down and stole this guy's heart to make more aliens?" Jane put on her best incredulous face.

"No, not necessarily aliens. I said higher life forms. But the electricity in the brain would prove more valuable." Walter paused for a moment deep in thought. Jane felt the room lean in towards the man in anticipation when he seemed to crack. "Perhaps someone is working on cellular regeneration and needed to inhibit the aging in the living tissue around the heart!" He straightened up slightly and walked around the table and pushed Olivia and Jane out of the way. "You know, Belly and I, once worked on a project where we hypothesized that during a battle where many soldiers are wounded or killed that perhaps there could be a way to quickly remove organs and relocate them quickly without having them removed in a hospital. We felt that if we could create a hand held device, it could simultaneously scan where an organ was, quickly remove it with the surrounding tissue intact and suspend it back to the safety of the hospital to save other soldiers."

"That's enough Walter," Olivia warned. "These people are not cleared for any of this information."

Maura laughed. She wasn't sure why, but it kind of fell out. She quickly straightened herself as everyone stopped and looked at her. "Sorry, but that would be impossible. A scanning organ harvester? Bio-suspension? The only instances of cellular regeneration are based on stem cell research, not the human heart. We don't need to make assumptions of that nature, Walter."

"Finally," Jane said throwing up her hands, "Let's get this body back to the precinct so we can focus on our jobs and leave the crazy people alone." She smirked when she saw the reaction Agent Dunham was about to give her.

"Maura," Walter began, "as a scientist you must understand the idea creating hypotheses and then testing those ideas. You must make assumptions in science! Without the assumption, the experimentation would never happen. We wouldn't have ever discovered something as simple as penicillin, which has saved countless lives."

Maura's mouth hung open for a moment. She was at a loss for words. In her world science was a concrete foundation that she based her entire life on. She could not make assumptions in her line of work. She could only gather evidence and give back facts. She understood what Walter was saying but it was difficult for her to translate into how she did her work.

Olivia turned and ignored the two doctors' conversation. "Excuse me...Detective, but you are the one in _our_lab. If this case is what Walter thinks it is…this case will no longer be yours, it will be mine. I'm calling Broyles." Olivia whipped out her phone and pushed a button. Jane stepped forward in protest and caught Frost's eye.

"Wait, do you mean Special Agent Phillip Broyles?" Maura said. Olivia and Jane spun around and looked at her curiously. "It would be nice to see him again."

Jane and Olivia continued to stare at Maura for a moment. "You know this Broyles guy?" Jane couldn't believe this twilight zone she had stepped into. "How the hell do you know him?"

"He usually accompanies bodies through my morgue. As Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we are able to appropriately take care of and bury bodies. He has been in numerous times when needed. I cannot talk about the cases, I signed plenty of paperwork. So, you must be that Agent Dunham. I have seen your name before. I am most intrigued." Olivia nodded but held up a finger as she started talking into her phone.

Jane walked over to Maura and leaned in, "You know about this FBI unit?"

"Officially, I cannot answer that. But you already heard what I said."

"Unbelievable, Maur! Why didn't you tell me?" Jane put her hand on Maura's arm.

Maura looked down at Jane's hand and smiled. "You know that I can't tell you things after signing a confidentiality agreement. Besides, it hasn't been important until right now. And right now, you know."

Jane gave up the act of feeling betrayed. She smiled back at her and rubbed her thumb along the cloth of the lab coat. "True, and now we're in this thing...together." She knew she didn't need to spell out the double meaning as soon as she saw Maura relax into her touch. The two women stood there staring into each other's eyes for an unknown amount of time until a noise pulled them back out into the lab. Immediately, Jane dropped her hand and Maura missed the contact.

Olivia hung up the phone with a snap, "He's already on his way in. He's taking care of everyone upstairs and you three are to remain here." She pointed to Jane, Frost, and Maura. They looked at each other for a brief moment. Frost peeled off to resume his pursuit of Agent Farnsworth. Maura and Jane turned towards each other, both staying silent and grinning from ear to ear.

Olivia looked at the room. She observed Astrid and Frost and chuckled to herself. She had never talked with her about her personal life, yet Astrid knew all about Olivia's. She found it quite odd that she had never thought of that before. Then, her focus shifted and she watched Walter searching for equipment throughout the lab. As he walked near the autopsy table, her eyes tore away from the old man and she watched the Detective and Examiner. She briefly rolled her eyes at how they looked at each other. She decided that she did not like the Detective much, too much of a loose cannon. The medical examiner, on the other hand, seemed to be nice albeit a little quirky. She realized the Walter was also quirky. Perhaps, all geniuses who worked on dead people were just a little quirky, she thought.

After a few more minutes assessing the room, a tall man entered the lab. His face was dark and hard and he spoke quietly, but with power. "Agent Farnsworth, go out there and help clear out the Boston Police. We are taking over this case." Jane hung her head down and snapped it back up in anger ready to lay into this guy. "I've already spoken to Cavanaugh, Detective Rizzoli. You and Detective Frost are staying on with us because you have seen too much. I also follow your careers and you both are crazy enough to handle this case."

Jane looked over at Frost. He shrugged and smiled. _This I could live with. _

"However, there will need to be clearances made for this case and a whole lot of paperwork to be filled out. Dr. Isles, nice to see you again." She nodded in acknowledgment. "I will need for you to sign a few things as well. This is not how we usually conduct our cases. We are not certain this is a Fringe division case quite yet."

"Excuse me, sir," Jane began, "Frost and I have worked with FBI on cases before. I don't understand what Fringe division is. I've never heard of you."

"That is the point, Detective. One of the reasons I am allowing you to work with us on this case is because your names have come across my desk. You have worked with the Bureau in the past. I follow your career because you have many of the same investigative skills that Agent Dunham possesses." That immediately sent annoyance through Jane's entire body, Olivia also changed her stance conveying irritation at the remark. "We never know when we might have to add to our team. You are one of a few across the entire country I watch for potential recruitment. As for Dr. Isles, we've worked together in the past and I know her work very well. She will be an asset." Broyles looked at everyone in the room. "Walter, I need you and Dr. Isles to work together on this body and tell me as soon as possible how a man can get a hole cut through his body like this. Look for anything else that might tell us what happened to him." Walter nodded and smiled at Maura.

The door opened again and a young man walked in the door. He paused and looked at everyone in the lab, "Walter? We have company I see." Walter nodded slowly. The man walked over to Broyles. "I got here as quickly as I could. Who are these people?" He flicked an index finger towards the three strangers.

Broyles answered, "This is Detective Jane Rizzoli," Jane walked around the autopsy table and stuck out her hand and enjoyed the firm hold he had on her hand. It was refreshing. Most men took her hand for a shake and barely gripped her hand. She had always felt the act was insulting. "This is Detective Barry Frost," Broyles continued the awkward introductions. Frost was so confused by this whole situation and could not understand why he was even present.

"Detectives, this is Peter Bishop." Peter flashed a smile. He looked awkwardly at Jane and then turned to Olivia. They had the same exact stance with arms crossed. His smile faltered for a moment as he took in the tension between the two women. He looked back at Jane with recognition in his eyes. Maura did not like how this Peter was looking at her detective. She walked around the table and removed her gloves.

She stood next to Jane so her arm was touching the brunettes. She reached out her hand, "I am Dr. Maura Isles, Chief Medical Examiner." The gesture was not lost on Jane. Peter shook the other woman's hand.

"Nice to meet you," he said with a warm smile. He looked back at Olivia, "Hey, Liv." She smiled at him and Jane immediately saw the blond's weakness. She smirked at the small victory.

* * *

"I can not believe all the shit we just signed!" Frost complained to his partner. "Fringe Division. Fucking weird science shit. This is something I just would've rather not found out about."

"No shit." Jane agreed as they reached the door for the lab. She opened the door and saw the blond agent spin around and glare at her. "Could have gone without that bull shit too," she said quietly to her partner. "I can't believe we have to listen to this bitch." Frost smirked in agreement. They walked over to Olivia.

"Ok, Detectives," Olivia started, "we have an ID on the body, Matthew Kohler. He lived in Curry Hall. Upperclassman. Here is his schedule." She handed them a piece of paper. "You two will be with me and Peter. We will head to his room and talk to his roommates."

"Whoa, why do we need four people to do that? Shouldn't we break up and Frost and I can go to his professors and talk with them."

Olivia straightened her stance and looked directly into Jane's eyes. "Detective, you don't know what questions to ask. If you come with me, maybe I can teach you something." She grinned.

"Teach me something?" Jane almost came undone at the comment as her fingers curled into a fist.

"Liv," Peter spoke up as tensions increased. "We could cover more ground if you take Detective Frost and Detective Rizzoli can come with me." Immediately, he had sensed that Olivia and Jane working together was going to cause some problems. He smiled at the brunette. Across the room, Maura glared at him briefly and then returned to looking at the body.

Olivia looked at Peter for a moment. She took a deep breath. "Fine. Frost? Is that what you go by?" He nodded. "Let's go." They left the lab. Jane looked over at Maura who was standing over Matthew's body pulling something out with tweezers. Walter was standing next to her looking very excited.

"What is it Maur?" Jane walked over to the table. Peter followed.

"It looks like a piece of glass. It's wedged between two cauterized ribs in the tissue between them." The four of them were all leaning over the body looking at what Maura had removed. Maura held it up in the light and looked at the small item. "Yes, this is glass."

"How did glass get in his chest cavity?" Peter asked.

"It's very curious." Walter said. He then turned around abruptly. "Ashram! I think it's time for a strawberry milkshake." Astrid rolled her eyes and walked over to the office.

Jane looked at Peter, "He knows that her name is Astrid, right?" Peter shook his head and smiled.

"Yeah, he does that. It's kinda funny how many names he has for her. It bothered Olivia too, but she got over it once she got to know him. You will too. My father walks to the beat of his own drum." Maura watched as the two had their own side conversation

"Your father?" Peter nodded. She laughed. "That is just awesome!" Peter gave her a look then laughed with her. Jane's attention turned back to Maura who had put the piece of glass into a small glass container. "So, we have glass in this guy's chest cavity. Can we tell where it came from?"

"I doubt it would be easy to match, but I can tell you that it is not tempered glass. It shattered and embedded itself as if something was spinning and it shattered into the surrounding tissue. I will see if I find more and let you know."

"Alright. I'll see you later." She looked at Peter, "are you ready to go?" He nodded. They started walking out of the lab., After a few steps, Jane stopped and turned, "Maur, we'll be back." Maura looked up for a moment. Their eyes met and Jane smiled. "I'll see you when I get back, ok?" She let it hang out there. Walter was completely oblivious, but Peter saw the chemistry between them. He didn't understand why it was important to the Detective to make sure that the ME would see her again soon, but he understood that it was, indeed, important nonetheless. Jane turned and headed back towards the door.

Maura smiled in understanding. She felt a wave of guilt, "Jane," she started. Jane turned again. They locked eyes. "I will see you soon." It was not the time or place to say what she wanted to say. Jane nodded and left with Peter.

"Maura, we have our milkshakes!" He handed her a glass filled with a pink substance. She took it and tasted a bit. "Isn't it amazing? She finally got the recipe down. Perfection!" He smiled and motioned at Astrid.

"This is quite good." she smiled. "Shall we?" She motioned to the body and Walter set his glass down on a nearby table.

"Yes, yes! Let's get back to work!"


	4. Connection

**Chapter 4**

The young woman looked around the darkening street. She shifted the backpack so that her shoulder held it more securely. The daily bustling was disappearing; it was time to make her move. She slowly started to walk down the sidewalk, avoiding anyone's gaze. She made it to the abandoned lot on the corner and gave another look around before disappearing through the broken plywood that covered what was once a door.

The backpack clinked as it landed against the wall. Heavy breathing filled the room. She looked up at the shelf on the wall. She knew what she had to do. She just needed a minute before she set herself to the task. She looked at the table, her supplies had not moved from her deliberate placement. Slowly, she grabbed the backpack and started to unzip the main compartment.

Once it was open, she took out the broken jar and set it on the table. She looked at it with her head cocked to the side and smiled. Next time she would have to be more careful with the glass jar. She didn't want things to be broken. She stood up and grabbed another large container. Picking up the jagged glass carefully, she dumped the contents into the new canister. Slowly, she screwed on the lid and placed it on a shelf. She looked at it and smiled.

Remembering something, she walked back to the backpack and pulled out a hand held device that looked like a science fiction stun gun. The woman placed it on the table and grabbed a pair of magnifying glasses and sat on the stool. She looked at the device curiously. "Why did the jar break?" she said to no one as she picked up a small screw driver.

* * *

"So, you are not an FBI agent?" Jane asked Peter as they made their way back to Walter's lab.

"Nope. I just have the pleasure of working with them." Peter smiled. He had very kind eyes. Jane took another mental note of her temporary "partner".

The entire day was spent chasing down professors and classmates of Matthew Kohler. They had no new information on the kid. He was quiet in class, did his work on time, and averaged a B in most classes. Most of his classmates had even less to say about him. He was not a part of any fraternity and they didn't find many friends. There was still a short list of people to follow up with in the morning. Tracking down college students was proving to be more of a challenge when they both knew that they would have an easier time catching them going into class the next day.

"I wouldn't call it a pleasure," Jane said which caused Peter to laugh.

"You have something against Olivia, don't you?" She shifted a little in her walking and looked at him again. The campus was calming down after the day. She looked around saw students walking with backpacks; some were out on the lawn playing Frisbee.

"No, not really. I just have something against her type." She finally said. "Most of the feebies I have ever worked with are secretive, shifty, and generally have an ego problem. She just...kind of strikes me as that type. You know, I work just as hard at my job, I think I'm pretty good at it. They just have a way of making me feel like I don't do work that is important. They think they are the only ones who can actually investigate cases. It's frustrating." She kicked at a small pebble and watched it dance along the sidewalk.

"I see," Peter started. He considered her for a moment before he continued. "So, you like to be in control." He looked over at her as she walked. He smirked a little when he realized that she walked just like Olivia. It made him miss the blond woman and he suddenly wanted to be home with her, not working a case.

"Well, not...yeah. Yeah, I like being in control of my job because my personal life has zero control." She laughed and made an 'O' with her hands.

Peter laughed again. "No one has complete control of their life. But I have to say that you misjudge Liv. She has been through a lot. She comes to work every day and faces the craziest situations and comes back for more. You have no idea what it's like working in the fringe sciences. You are just barely finding out why this type of science is so secretive. The crazy takes a toll on most people. You really have to have an open mind to any possibility. Liv, isn't most people. She's exceptional." He looked over at the Detective and saw her hands shoved into her pockets. "You should give her a chance." She looked up and saw a strong line across his forehead in deep thought.

"How long have you two been together? How does it work with you both working together?" She noticed his Cheshire grin. He knew she could see it, his connection with the Special Agent.

"We've been together and not been together for a long time. We have always worked really well together. So, when it became more...it was...easy. Working with her has always been effortless, but loving her was even less complicated. I can't really describe us...we just work. You are very astute, Detective."

"It didn't take a detective to see how she looked at you. And when you questioned her strategy for all of us to go out together, she didn't even object to you at all. She let you change her mind for her."

"Oh no, I could never change her mind for her. I just offered the safety net she needed. For the sake of everyone involved, figured I needed to keep you two apart." He laughed and she knew what he meant. She realized she would have to be able to work with Olivia to get this case solved. But the taste of their first meeting was still in her mouth. She wasn't sure how to get the first impression out of her head.

Peter saw she was thinking so he started again. "But what about you, if we're gonna jump into the 'who are you dating conversation' it's only fair that you spill it too." He looked around at the darkening campus, as light fixtures began to slowly turn on.

"Like I said before, it's a little out of control. I have someone special in my life. But I don't know if we should take the step from friendship to romance. Of course, it gets even more complicated when I have this side thing with someone else. Good at detecting, Bad at relationships." She looked over at him and couldn't believe she had told this complete stranger that much information about her personal life. He smiled warmly at her. _He's a good guy, that much I can tell._

She appreciated Peter. Even though, they had only met earlier that day they had spent most of the day together. She noticed that he was very intelligent and kind and felt like they had been friends for years. They seemed to have the same thought process. He seemed to read people the way she did. She admired the trait even though she wished he would lighten up a bit.

"That seems like a bad situation." He stuck his hand in his pocket. "She's quite beautiful though. Maybe it's just me but when a beautiful woman is in love with you that is hard to resist." She tried to give him a surprised look, but then realized that he could probably read her the same way she read him. "Go with your heart, Detective. I am no expert by any means," he held his hands out, "but I think if the side thing is just that...a side thing, maybe Dr. Isles would be a better challenge for you. And by what I've observed of you thus far, you enjoy a challenge." That got a laugh out of her. He joined in with her until the laughing subsided.

"You are right about that," she finally said. _Guess he can make a joke after all._

He motioned at her as they reached the steps. "Let's see how Walter and your Dr. Isles are getting along." He held the door open and looked back out towards campus. He briefly saw a man standing by a tree. White faced and in a dark suit, the man was watching Peter. He took note and followed Jane into the building.

* * *

"Maura, I really think that perhaps this could work with a different gain medium. Something that is strong enough to work like a typical excimer laser like in Lasik surgery, but be able to cut deeper through body tissue." Walter moved the dark goggles up and rested them on his forehead. Maura did the same.

"But Walter, it's not just cutting through tissue, this needs to be substantial enough to cut through muscle and bones."

"Like a light saber!" He stood up in triumph.

"Those are fictional, Walter." He rolled his eyes at her. He did not understand how the doctor was so rigid and relied on pure facts. He did as well; however, he knew that without a little leap of faith, certain things would never be discovered. Maura, on the other hand, was growing quite frustrated by his openness to anything being possible.

"Perhaps, in the present they are. But that doesn't mean that technology won't catch up to our ever evolving minds. Laser technology is ever changing."

"Even so, no one is precise enough to cut a hole through a body the circumference of the circle never changes from one side of the body to the other. He wouldn't have stood there long enough for someone to use a "light saber" and cut through his body so precisely. He died as soon as his heart stopped pumping blood to his body. It seems like his body acted in a similar way a victim of the guillotine. There were a few seconds for his brain to register before the lack oxygen, but the shock his body went into would have caused his immediate collapse to the ground."

Maura looked over at the door as Peter and Jane walked through, laughing. Jane pushed him slightly with an outstretched arm. She immediately looked away and felt something growing in her chest that was quite uncomfortable. She was not quite yet ready to diagnose the feeling, but it made her not like Peter Bishop at all.

"Peter!" Walter bellowed. "I am getting quite hungry. I think I want a double bacon cheeseburger and chili cheese fries from that place...over on...well, by the ball park."

"Tasty Burger." Peter and Jane said in unison.

"Yes, that's the one!" Peter shook his head at his father.

"I love that place! I haven't been there in a long time," Jane said smiling at Maura. "Hey, Maur, you hungry? I haven't eaten all day. Wanna grab something with me?"

"Tasty burger sounds quite unhealthy, Jane" She said glaring at Peter. He looked at the two women and smiled with his hands up in a defensive position. Jane saw and understood the look he gave her and laughed again.

"It is! But how can you go wrong with bacon and cheese on a burger!" Walter was smiling ear to ear. Peter, Asprin, let's go!" With that he stood up and took off the goggles and lab coat. Jane stood still and looked at the medical examiner.

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna go with Maura on a healthier option. Do we need to lock up or anything?" Jane said as she maintained her stare. Astrid smiled as she walked past and handed Jane a key. Briefly, she looked away and towards the small woman.

"Peter and Walter have a key, just use mine. We'll see you back here in a little while." She headed for the door, leaving the two women alone in the lab.

Jane walked over to Maura. "Hey," she strutted with a renewed confidence from her little chat with Peter, "I see you are doing a little experimentation with Dr. Frankenstein."

Maura smiled, "We are just trying to see if there is something that could have cause this type of injury. It isn't very easy to work with Walter. He has the most outlandish ideas that seem to come out of nowhere and changes the laws of physics whenever he wants. It's frustrating."

"So, you've had a fantastic day? Fun times had by all the Doctors in the 'X-files' lab?"

"Well, it hasn't been too bad." She ignored the sarcasm and cultural reference. "I actually like him. He is very sweet, just frustrating. How about you? How has your day been, anything interesting found during your little gumshoeing with Mr. Bishop?" Maura couldn't hide the contempt in her voice as she referred to Peter. It made Jane smile to hear the tinge of jealousy laced in the other woman's tone. The smile made the shorter woman frown.

"Peter's been great actually. It kinda feels like we've been working together for a long time. He's almost as easy to talk to as Frost. But we haven't found anything interesting about this guy." She motioned to the covered body. "He seemed lonely." Jane thought about her statement as odd, but true nonetheless. Maura pursed her lips and took off her goggles. Jane took note of this and took a deep breath. "Maur, I'm sorry."

Maura looked up at the detective, "No, Jane. I'm sorry. I've complicated our working situation and our friendship because I was weak. It won't happen again. I hope we can move past..." Jane had walked closer to her and put her hands on her upper arms. The honey blond had stopped talking at the touch and inhaled sharply.

"Maura. No apologies from you. I'm sorry I didn't really say anything last night. I just couldn't believe what was happening. It was just a lot to process. I'm Catholic and I have all this guilt about how much I am attracted to you." She let her hands slide down the coarse fabric of the lab coat. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's waist. "Is this what you want Maura?" She searched her eyes looking for a sign of doubt.

Maura closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes, Jane." Her eyes opened and she was pulled into dark orbs. She stared back into Jane's eyes, feeling the fluttering in her stomach as she felt anticipation of a kiss. The wait didn't last long as Jane leaned her head and turned it to one side and her lips brushed against the ME's. Slow and deliberately, the detective made expert movements and seemed to know when to press and when to back out slowly to find another angle. Then, lips crashed again. The honey blond opened her mouth and invited a deeper kiss. Jane obliged and reached in with her tongue and tasted Maura. Slowly, she pulled back.

"So, much for Catholic guilt," Maura breathed out in a whisper.

Seeing the breathless woman in front of her, she smiled. "We shouldn't be doing this in here. There is a dead body over on that table." Maura opened her eyes and shifted to see Matthew Kohler's body on the table with a white sheet draped over him.

"Well, when else are we going to do this?" Maura asked with a smirk and twist of her shoulder.

"Look, we'll figure this out." She motioned between the two of them. "But we should get something to eat and get back to work." A phone rang. They both pulled away from each other and looked for their respective phones. Jane found hers on her belt and pulled it out, "Rizzoli."

Maura looked at her curiously as she made a wince and turned. "Not a good time, Casey," she hissed. Maura's stomach sank. "No. I am working." She took a step towards Jane to hear a little better. "I know I haven't called you since yesterday morning. I was with Maura last night." She stopped walking. "Are you kidding me right now? We are not a couple...no." Maura's chest felt that same uncomfortable feeling. Was it jealousy? Pain was starting to creep into its place.

"That doesn't mean you or I have made any promises to each other. In fact, I am telling you now that you and I are not a couple. Yes, I am. Goodbye!" She hung up her phone in the best "slamming" of her finger in the phone screen to end the call she could muster. She turned around and looked at Maura. She saw a look that was less jealous and more hurt.

"That was Casey, huh?" Maura said with stoic look attempting to mask her worry.

"Yeah, I haven't even had a chance to talk to you about that. He stayed over the night before last. Since he's on leave, he wanted to spend last night and tonight with me before he leaves tomorrow. Then, you came over last night and I brushed him off to be with you." Maura's face seemed to have a small wave of relief wash over it. "He and I are not an item. He just thinks we are."

"He thinks you two are together because you're sleeping with him. That is a fair assumption, Jane."

"Well, yeah. Maybe. But things are different now."

"Why are they different? If you want to be with him..." She trailed off. Jane took the opportunity to step closer to the honey blond.

"No, I don't want him. Maur, just...can we..." She took one more step to close the distance between them and put her hands on the doctor's waist. "Look, I don't want to be with him. If I have a shot with you...I'm taking it." She raised a hand and motioned between them. "Catholic guilt and all exes can be damned."

Jane looked in Maura's eyes. She seemed to be contemplating something. Instead of divulging, she just nodded and placed a chaste kiss on the Detective's lips. "Let's go. I need to refuel my body and brain. It's been a taxing day."


	5. Science

**A/N: I wanted to say thank you for everyone who has favorite or alerted this story. I appreciate it! I also appreciate the reviews I have gotten. I hope it is an enjoyable read. Next chapter is where we get into the M rating. Thank you!**

**Chapter 5**

"Are you kidding me?" Jane asked in surprise to what her partner was telling her.

Frost shook his head, "Rizzoli, you know I don't kid. I like her. She is very professional and is a bit of a badass. She reminds me a lot of you." He ducked away from the hand that swung his way. "Come on! It wasn't that bad of a day. We just talked to everyone we could find who knew Matthew, looked through his dorm room. There was nothing out of the ordinary." He looked across the lab at the group huddled around the table in the middle of the room. "You know that quack pot is kinda growin' on me. You think the Doc would be like him when she's old?"

Jane had followed his gaze and looked at Maura. She hadn't thought much about growing older, but she immediately felt a need to find out what growing older with Maura would mean. Then, it came. Catholic guilt. She thought about her mother and what her reaction would be to a relationship. Her heart sank. _Ma goes to church fairly religiously_. She smirked at her own joke. Angela couldn't possibly accept her and Maura. She felt her heart settle near her stomach somewhere and start to fizzle. The panic made her want to run out of the lab door. She fidgeted with her hands rubbing ferociously at the phantom pain in her palm over rough scars. She realized she was standing by herself since Frost had long left her standing in the front end of the lab. She forced herself to join the rest of the group.

"Maybe we are thinking about this all wrong," Olivia said as she caught Jane's eye.

"How are we thinking about this wrong? This kid is dead, we look at his life to find out more about him and more about whoever killed him. Detective skills 101." Jane retorted.

"Fringe 101 is a little more complex than that." Jane rolled her eyes. Olivia smirked and continued. "Let's think about why the heart? The way it was removed from his body is what we want to figure out, but maybe we figure that out if we ask why the heart. What is someone's motive to steal someone else's heart? Walter, you had said you and William Bell wanted to be able to quickly harvest organs."

"It was one of those ideas that we quickly dismissed once we tried to recover and preserve organs that had come from soldiers that were dead in the field of battle, the organs were no longer viable. However, we did believe that we could take the organs and reanimate them if they were recovered within 24 hours."

"How is that possible? The organs lose their oxygen supply. Anyone whose death is suspicious and requires an autopsy can no longer supply viable organs." Maura said indignantly.

"Ah, Dr. Isles, you are correct!" Walter smiled at her. "That is why we dropped the idea. I understand your line of work differentiates between suspicious deaths and those deaths that are cut and dry, so to speak. If you could ask the corpse what happened, it would be so much easier to solve homicides. In fact, that can be done! You probably have never had the privilege to witness a synaptic transfer system, or a shared dream state from a corpse to a living person."

"That is impossible Walter. Once a person is dead we must look at the evidence left behind to examine. If that was possible we wouldn't need homicide detectives." Maura was beginning to feel irritation growing in her chest. She looked over at Jane and Frost and rolled her eyes when the dark skinned Detective looked intrigued. She looked back to Walter and crossed her arms across the burn of frustration in her stomach.

"Doctor, the human brain generates a quantifiable electric field, you already know this." Maura nodded in agreement. "I once hypothesized back in 1976 that it is quite possible to synchronize the fields of two distinct minds to allow the sharing of information across the unconscious state, very similar to a string between two tin cans. Once the electromagnetic waves are synchronized the unconscious mind of the living person can essentially step into the mind of the deceased." This is where he completely lost Maura and Jane.

Jane walked over to Maura seeing her obvious struggle with the conversation. She put a hand on her back and the other woman visibly relaxed. This allowed her to speak, "Walter, what you are suggesting would need something to connect the electrical impulses just like a wire is required between the source of electrical current and the eventual light fixture. Even then, the current must run in a continuous loop back to the source. If it were possible, which it isn't, there would need to be a conductor that would connect to the electrical current in the human brain and it would likely kill whoever would be stupid enough to sign up for the task!"

"This is not only possible, I have done it." Olivia spoke up and continued, "I have been in the mind of a person who was dead. It really was like a dream. But like Walter will tell you it's not an exact science and cannot be controlled what information you find. It is just as likely you only find out what their favorite color is instead of who killed them. It is a very exhaustive process which is dangerous and has about one thousand things that can go completely wrong." They looked at her like she was completely out of her mind.

"Then, you are just as crazy as he is if you really think you were connected at the brain. We like to do something where you actually follow the evidence," Jane took her hand from Maura and folded her arms and stared at the blond woman who just laughed.

"Well, I'm glad you're so high and mighty. You just don't understand that sometimes the evidence is not always wrapped in a little box. Sometimes the evidence is not conventional. Not that I expect a cop to understand that."

"It's Detective!"

"You seem to throw that around a lot. Ego problem, Detective Rizzoli?"

"Not as much as you have!" Jane began to launch forward towards the blond. Peter stepped sideways to grab Jane and pulled her back.

"This is not necessary and it is not gonna help figure out what happened to Matthew Kohler." Peter released Jane's arm. She glared at Olivia who had turned her attention back to the table.

Frost had been standing and staring at a single spot on the floor, deep in thought soon he spoke up, "What kind of process can do that? That would save some time for sure, I wouldn't have to spend all day talking with coeds about some guy they never really got to know!"

"Well, it only works within the first six hours of death. If the brain is damaged in anyway, then the electric field is compromised. And the amount of drugs required could kill a person."

"Drugs? What kind of drugs?" Jane asked.

"It's a mix of Ketamine, neurontin, and lysergic acid diethylamide."

"LSD? You are crazy! That is insane; you think someone hallucinating can actually get real information out of a dead person?" Jane began waving her hands.

"Actually, Jane," Maura slowly re-entered the conversation, "Our brains are essentially an electric router. The drugs could potentially either kill you or bring you into a state where your brain rhythm could be probed into an in-sync state with another connected brain; therefore, providing a conductor. That is quite brilliant Doctor Bishop!"

Maura had heard Agent Dunham and her cognitive wheels were turning at a rapid rate. This woman was obviously a skilled investigator, very similar to Jane. If Jane had told her that she had been in a strange procedure that didn't make any sense, deep down she would believe her. She had to admit that she had seen some strange things coming out of Agent Broyles' bodies. She never asked questions during those times. She wasn't allowed to ask questions about the bodies she had seen.

Something shifted in her thinking and she looked at Walter who was smiling like a schoolboy as the conversation developed. If a laser was used to remove Matthew's heart, it would have to have an appropriate medium to excite the particles to cut through human tissue. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be a gas based laser, maybe the conductor needs to be stronger. She looked back at Jane as she searched for an answer.

Jane glared at Maura.

"Thank you Maura," Walter smiled, "However, this type of synaptic transfer is not to be trusted. It is a not a procedure I would put just anyone through. And in this case, it is not even possible. But the brain surviving with electromagnetic waves beyond death does relate to our conversation about organ survival."

"Ok, look Walter, could we get back on track?" Peter spoke up, "I think Olivia is right. What if someone is not collecting organs for transplant? What if someone is targeting healthy hearts for another reason?"

"You mean just as a collection? What sick fuck would do that?" Frost stopped talking trying to keep his stomach contents in their proper place. Jane saw him put his hand to his stomach and close his eyes. He started breathing deeply._ I hope he doesn't pass out in front of the Feebies._

"Well, people collect a lot of different things that may seem weird. I think it's odd to collect teddy bears or rabbit feet." Maura said off hand. She could not help herself. She had to make the comment. It had distracted her train of thought.

"Of course, you would think that's odd, Maura. And you are the only person who would combine teddy bears and rabbit feet in a collection comparative." Jane said. She smiled at the ME and put her hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. Now Maura was beyond distracted and she looked at Jane. When their eyes connected she felt as if the air was the conductor of their own personal electrical connection. Returning a small smile, her thoughts went back to her kiss in the car with the Detective and the kiss they shared before dinner.

"Let's see if in the morning we can find anyone who wanted to collect Matthew's heart for whatever reason. We've got to go and get some sleep. Meet back here first thing in the morning." Olivia yawned and looked at the two other women who were smiling at one another and staring as if she hasn't said a word. With that last observation, she reached out and grabbed Peter's hand. They said their goodnights and walked out of the lab.

Frost seemed to recover from his queasy stomach as he asked if Astrid was interested in grabbing a drink. She was concerned about Walter getting home. He suggested they both take the older man back to his house, which would free them up. Jane finally snapped back over to the group that was now smaller than before. It registered that everyone was packing it up and heading home.

"Hey, why don't you come over to my place, Maur?" Jane said as she grabbed her jacket. The other three were still in conversation about how to get Walter home and didn't pay much attention to the two women. Maura felt her stomach flip at the invitation.

Maura smiled, "What happens once we get there?" She was beginning to feel like this next phase of her relationship with Jane was going to be more difficult than she had always envisioned in her random moments of fantasy. Fantasy and reality were rarely the same thing.

"Well, I will probably take Jo out for a quick walk and potty break. And you will open one of the bottles of wine that you leave at my place and pour yourself a glass and wait for me on the couch."

"Uh huh," she already knew that much and was waiting for more of an answer to Jane's intention. She took off the lab coat and gathered her personal belongings. Jane knew what she was waiting to hear. Perhaps, she should clarify...or not.

"Well," she started towards the door and watched as Maura began to follow, "we might wanna talk about our weird day." She smirked as she passed by Frost. Maura glared at her for a moment as she made her way around the group and closer to Jane. The door was held open for her when she reached it.

"Thanks," she said as she walked through the door.

Once they were alone in the corridor the two women walked shoulder to shoulder and shared glances at one another. Jane had a grin on her face. Maura briefly thought that she saw a streak of mischief in the detective's face but quickly dismissed it. Jane looked down the hallway and saw an opportunity. Quickly, she grabbed Maura around her waist and pulled her into a room that she recognized as a restroom once she was inside.

Jane closed the door and pushed Maura up against a cold tiled wall. She leaned her head down and kissed the surprised doctor hard on the lips. Maura dropped what she was carrying in her arms with a thud and clang. The sound echoed in the hard surfaced room. Hands reached around and felt the brunette's strong back muscles. She pulled her closer to her as their mouths fought for dominance. Their bodies pressed up against one another as Maura reached one leg around to bring them even closer.

Jane moaned and broke the kiss as she felt the leg squeeze her into the smaller woman. She looked with bright eyes over Maura's flushed face. Their heavy breathing now replaced the echo of the dropped belongings. "Maur, if you come to my place…we can finish what I just started." Clarification felt like the best solution when dealing with Maura. She saw the corner of her mouth turn up into a grin. She felt the release of the leg as Maura stood back on it.

"Well," she started, "with an offer like that, how could I refuse?" She slid her hands back around to Jane's abdomen. Slowly, she moved them up past her chest and gently cupped the strong jaw in front of her. She pulled the taller woman's face towards her she kissed her slowly and deliberately. She pulled back and enjoyed the brief moment when Jane's eyes were still closed from the contact. "I'll even let you drive my car."

At the suggestion, Jane smiled. "But I drove my car here." She stepped back and Maura picked up her dropped items from the floor.

"Don't worry, Detective. I'll bring you back safely in the morning." With that she opened the restroom door and walked back out into the corridor.

_Shit, that means she is staying the night. _Jane stood smiled at the tile wall._ Rizzoli! Follow her! _Jane pushed the door open and jogged to catch up with the other woman. The sound of heels on the flooring was creating a cacophony of shrill sounds. Jane watched Maura's ass in front of her as they moved through the hallway towards the car.


	6. Internal Struggles

**A/N: I wanted to thank my wife for helping me with revising this story. She is amazing and I am grateful to her everyday. **

**Also, on a very, very side note...my mother, who practically disowned me when I came out to her, asked me if I watched this show. When I told her that I did, she told me that they make such a cute couple. So, my mother...former homophobe...ships Rizzles. On with the show!**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

The door swung open and Olivia Dunham swaggered into the house with Peter not far behind. "I just don't understand people like her." The house was dark and she paused in her discussion of Detective Jane Rizzoli to flick on the light switch. "I mean, she acts irrationally in her police life. Who shoots themselves just to get the bad guy. From what I remember there were SWAT members everywhere. That just screams idiot to me. And what is up with how she walks?" Peter laughed.

"Liv, you do realize that there is more to Detective Rizzoli than what you keep going on about, right?" He walked over to her and put his hands around her waist. "I spent all day with her and she is very good at her job, she is smart and funny."

"Yeah, I don't really like you two getting along."

"Jealousy does not suit you, my love."

"Yeah, well..."

"Yeah, well...what? You know that she isn't into me right?"

"She doesn't seem to be married. Of course, I'm sure she has men running scared from her."

Peter furred his brow. "No, have you been too busy hating on her to actually watch her? Have you not seen Dr. Isles?"

"Oh, should she be who I worry about Mr. Bishop?" She smiled.

"You should watch the two of them together. Then, you wouldn't be jealous of them."

"Ah, they are together? That's strange. Cause I don't see how anyone can love that woman!" Olivia grinned and grabbed Peter's hand.

"Now you're just being mean for no reason. Give her a chance. I think you would like her if you let yourself get to know her. This doesn't have to a contest between the two of you. It could just be a collaborative effort between two colleagues."

"You are lucky that I like you." She gave him a quick kiss. "How about we stop talking about this, and go upstairs to bed."

"I like how you think," he kissed her again. She laughed and pulled out of his arms and headed for the staircase. He immediately followed. "We aren't sleeping yet though, right." Her head turned briefly and he caught the glint in her eyes. He moved faster and skipped steps after her as she giggled and ran into their bedroom.

* * *

Jane walked in the door and Jo ran through her legs and into the living room as the leash got tangled around long legs. "Damnit, Jo!" she said and bent down to take the leash off of her dog. She stepped out of the tangled mess and hung it up on the hook by the door. _Of course, tonight when I am going to fool around with Maura, Jo Friday has to take forever to take a piss!_The detective smiled to herself for a moment then realized that she had left Maura alone for far too long.

She looked around for the honey blond and did not see her in the living room or the kitchen. She shrugged and went into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of beer. She cracked the top and tossed it on the counter. The coolness of the edge of the bottle hit her lips as she gulped as much as she could stand before the carbonation caused her to burp rather loudly.

Her mind wandered on the events of the day until she stopped and thought of Maura again. If she was in the bathroom, she should be done by now. _What is she doing in there?_She took another long gulp of beer and set it on the counter. She headed toward the bedroom, when she walked in she saw exactly what the problem was.

Maura was lying on Jane's bed. The detective first noticed bare feet which caused her eyes to travel up the creamy skin of never ending legs until they collided with black lace panties. She stopped moving and her breath caught in the back of her throat. Maura eagerly watched the other woman's eyes roam up her body until she saw a flush grow on tan cheek when the eyes paused on her matching bra. She knew exactly what Jane was looking at and it made her wet knowing her body was appreciated by a small grin starting to appear on the brunettes face. "Like what you see, Detective?" Using her title was more for Jane. She had noticed over the years that if she wanted to illicit a certain response, "Detective" was the best way to get what she wanted.

Finally, a gulp of breath was taken. Her mind was spinning. She was frozen in place by the bedroom door and wanted nothing more than to jump on the bed to kiss the woman splayed out in front of her on a platter. She was in no hurry though. If she was going to be with Maura for the first time she was going to make damn sure she etched every detail into her memory. "Absolutely," she finally husked in response. She allowed her eyes to roam over every curve of Maura's body and decided that the two mounds heaping over the edge of the black lace bra was going to get plenty of attention in a few moments.

Moving her hands to the buttons on her own shirt she started to pop each one out of its hole. She removed the shirt and threw it on the floor, then pulled off her undershirt. This elicited a groan from the bed. She knew that her less than sexy bra needed to go as well, it joined the other fabric that had been discarded. She took her first step towards the bed, "you know, Doctor Isles, had I known I was going to have a gorgeous woman on display in my bed this evening. I might have prepared my undergarments to accommodate you a little better." She unbuttoned her slacks and stepped out of them as she made her way to the honey blond.

"I love your cute little hipsters, Jane." Maura gave a small giggle. Jane pressed her hands on the foot of the bed and stared at the woman before her intensely. As if she were a tiger ready to pounce on her prey, she bent her knees and leaned back slightly. During the movement, Jane felt a wet pool between her legs as her arousal grew. Maura shifted her position in the bed as she realized she was about to be attacked. Preparing for the impact of the other woman, "Come here and kiss me."

Jane instantly obeyed the command. She jumped up and her knees landed where her hands had just given up residence. Maura gasped at the sudden movement and heard "I'm gonna do more than kiss you." Slowly, she crawled on hands and knees until she was straddling the smaller woman and hovering above her. Leaning her head down, lips met and Maura's arms wrapped around a strong neck and pulled her down on top of her. Jane moved one leg and pressed until two legs split and one bent and wrapped around her.

The battle of tongues was abandoned as Jane remembered her plan to unsheath and see Maura's breasts. She unhooked the bra and back up slightly and grabbed the front of the garment and tugged. Maura got the hint and moved her arms to help remove the barrier. There they were. She looked at them with amazement in her eyes for a brief moment then her head dove down and captured one in her mouth, sucking the nipple further in and rubbing her tongue against it. A deep, guttural groan was elicited and Jane took the cue to lightly tease the hard bud in her mouth. Her free hand grabbed the other mound and gave a gentle squeeze and rubbed a palm against the tip as it hardened instantly. "Jane!" was all Maura could say as she felt an intense heat and wetness pooling between her legs. Electricity was surging through the doctor's body from her breasts because of whatever it was that Jane had been doing with her tongue.

Not knowing exactly what else to do with her hands, Maura reached back and grabbed her back and pressed down so that her hips and groin had more skin on skin contact. Jane moved her mouth and kissed the other breast. The Detective looked up at Maura whose head was pressed back into a pillow, jaw up in the air and eyes were closed until the sudden disappearance of Jane's mouth. She snapped her head forward and bumped into the other woman's lip. "Oww!" the hand on Maura's breast was removed and held the spot where the pain erupted.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry! Jane!" she caressed the side of Jane's face and tried to see the damage.

"I'm fine," came the muffled response. Then, came a muffled laugh. The hand was pulled away from her lip and she was smiling. "Seriously, I am fine. Look. No blood." Maura inspected the area.

"Ok, but I am so sorry. I did not mean to do that...I just..." She was cut off mid sentence with a bruising kiss from the formerly injured party. Their lips crashed without regard for what might have been painful. Jane didn't mind and groaned into how amazing her body felt.

"I said..." she breathed between kisses, "I was fine. And still turned on as fuck," she busied herself with her task of the current tongue war and enjoyed how the doctor tasted. She began to roll her hips and grind. Both women moaned into the sensations.

"Jane..." she started kissing down Jane's neck, "language...plea..." she trailed off and sucked behind an ear. Jane chose to ignore this and she slowly kissed her way down and settled between Maura's legs, smelling her arousal. She grabbed Maura's legs and placed them over her shoulders, and slid the black lace panties over and licked her way through slick folds. Her tongue rolled around on the swollen bud. Maura's hips reacted and jolted up and down. Jane never allowed a disconnection as her head moved with the other woman.

Jane put one of her hands on Maura's stomach while the other slid under a moving thigh. She slid it under her chin and shoved two fingers into the ME. Miraculously, both women seemed to be in sync with one another's movements. Jane realized that she must have been doing something right when hips began moving quicker. She bent her fingers as she continued to push in and out, Maura responded immediately with a loud moan. Soon enough, there was a shift in how the honey blond was moaning and her hips jerked upward as she said, "Fuck, Jane!" Jane continued her finger and tongue work as the rolling slowed as the orgasm was ridden out to its end.

Flicking her tongue one last time with a small buck, she moved up and looked at the heavily breathing woman. She slowly crawled back over and slid to the side, laying her head on Maura's shoulder. She smiled and put in a mental file that Maura Isles used naughty language in the bedroom, that information she would use to her advantage in the future. She draped her arm across her abdomen.

As Maura's breathing returned to normal, "That was incredible, I've never had an orgasm of the magnitude before." Jane smirked against her skin. She bent her head down a bit, "Aren't you going to kiss me?"

"Uh, I can. I just...I never let anyone kiss me after they do...that." Jane shifted herself onto her elbow and looked into hazel eyes.

Maura reached a hand cupping Jane's cheek and pulled her into a sweet kiss and tasted herself on warm lips. "I think it's very sexy," she started after she pulled away. "After something that intimate, I still need to kiss you." She pulled her in again and kissed her harder. She reached up and grabbed the detectives chest. She ran a finger over a nipple. The blond smiled against lips as the brunette's body reacted to her touch. She attempted to roll over, but was abruptly stopped.

"As much as I want to have my turn, I think we should wait." She leaned over and attempted to silence the other woman's shocked answer with a kiss. It didn't work.

"Why wait?" She said as she sat up. "We just...We...I want to pleasure you, Jane!"

"I know, believe me, I want you to make me...come. I just think...can we just cuddle?" _Cuddle? I can't believe I want to cuddle! _"We can...I just...please?...ok?" The wheels turned in the genius' head. She bent down and kissed the detective. She shifted back and pulled the comforter down and motioned for Jane to follow her under the covers. The blond set herself on her elbow looking at Jane who was laying on her back with her eyes closed.

"Ok, so is this happening again?" Maura needed to say something. She wanted to respect Jane enough to let her have control over whatever was happening between them. At the same time, she desperately wanted to know what this finally meant.

"Yes," said the Detective matter of factly. She kept her eyes closed but the corner of her mouth smirked slightly.

That was something that made the Doctor smile. "I didn't think you were the cuddling type."

"I'm not." The smirk grew into a full blown smile. Maura leaned in closer to Jane and laid her head on the taller woman's chest. The brunette wrapped an arm around her back and intertwined fingers with the blond's across her stomach.

"Should we talk about..." she whispered almost afraid to finish the question.

"No...not right now." Jane pressed a kiss to the top of blond locks.

"Do you want me to stop talking and let you hold me?"

"Yes." She welcomed the feel of the honey blond in her arms and she thought about how well her head fit comfortably under her cleft chin. She smiled in satisfaction. _She knows me so well. I can tell she wants to talk about whatever this is and figure out how to categorize us into her mental filing cabinet. She knows how uncomfortable that makes me and dropped it. I may be falling into something..._

"Jane?"

"Uh huh?"

"I've got to get in the bathroom and get ready for bed."

"Ok," but neither woman moved a muscle. Both falling into a contented sleep.

* * *

Jane heard her dog bark and she attempted to shift. She was held in place by a warm body. The fog seemed to lift and she remembered who the warm body was. She smiled and settled back in and held on to the sleeping woman. Jo barked again. "Jo, shhh..." she mumbled in a whispered yell. The next bark that was heard was followed by a loud gasp. Eyes shot open, and Jane looked up towards her bedroom door. Angela Rizzoli stood in the opening. Maura stirred at the sudden movement, and opened her eyes looking at Jane and then followed Jane's eyes to the doorway.

"Angela?"

"Shit! Ma! This is not how it looks!" _This is NOT how I wanted to start my day. God look at her face, I am going to hell._

"Well, it's about damn time!" Angela finally said.

"Damn time?" Jane asked slowly. "Ma, what are you talking about."

"It's about damn time you two finally got your heads out of your asses!" She said frankly.

Maura sat up in the bed and pulled the blanket with her. She studied the woman in the doorway. "How did you..." she started.

"How did I know? Oh please, I'm her mother. A mother knows. Vince and I were just talking about it last night at dinner."

"Wait, why are you talking about...us," she motioned to Maura and herself with her index finger, "with my sergeant...at dinner?" Jane looked over at Maura whose mouth was wide open. _God, she is so sexy. Look at those lips..._

"Honey, Vince and I have been having dinner every night for the past two weeks. He is a fantastic man and if you can find love...so can I." Jane turned her head back to her mother and her mouth dropped open. She was about to make a comment but Angela was prepared and continued. "Now, I was just gonna make you some breakfast. Since Dr. Isles didn't come home last night, I figured you had a case. I saw her car out front. I know that you two need to get back early and would skip breakfast. So, before you leave I am gonna make you an omelet. No rush, get ready for work. I'll be in the kitchen." With that she turned and shut the bedroom door making her way to the kitchen.

"What the fuck was that?" Jane looked over at Maura who was smiling.

"Language, Jane."

"Language, huh? My mother walks in on us naked in bed together...then she tells me she is dating Korsak and you are worried about my language?"

"It's generally impolite to use such words. It can give a bad impression of your character. Some people may think that you are hostile with the use and it doesn't communicate clearly. Sometimes it can come across as lazy, abrasive, or lacking in imagination."

"Oh really? Well, last night when you used it alongside my name, I thought you were communicating quite clearly. I did not think it was lazy, abrasive, hostile, or lacking in imagination. I thought I had just creating something so mind blowing that you used the only appropriate word there was for it." Maura gasped when she realized she had indeed said the word. A blush was creeping up on her cheeks. She tucked her head back into the Detectives shoulder.

Slowly, she looked back up into dark eyes and smirked, "Ok, Detective maybe in the privacy of our bedroom there _may_be a place for it." She bent down and gave a quick peck on smiling lips and got out of the bed towards the bathroom. Eyes followed her every movement until she was behind the door.

She thought about her mother for a moment. "Wait a second," Maura paused and appeared again in front of the door. Jane's nerves came back when she saw the naked woman. "Nevermind, let's get ready for work." There was a weird empty feeling she had about what had just happened. It was almost as if she was readying herself for a battle with her mother over eventually having to tell her about Maura. But there was no fight. Instant acceptance. This was oddly numbing. Then, Maura had said 'our bedroom'. Things were starting to move much too fast.

Jane never really put much thought into her romantic life. Mainly, because being a homicide detective did not really afford her the luxury of giving into thoughts of marriage, having kids, or living in the suburbs. She was always frightened that if she let herself fall in love that she would lose her edge. In the heat of the moment while chasing a suspect, what if she held back and hesitated for a moment because she was thinking about someone at home. In that split second, bad things could happen fast. She was no stranger to having unmentionable fear for her own life. She briefly looked at her hands and rubbed the center of her palm.

No, Jane Rizzoli never let herself actually think she could be in a relationship. Too much pressure. Too much expectation from another person. She thought about Casey on the phone. He had expected her to run off and be with him before he left again. She was on a case and after one night with him, he was already putting pressure on her. The sex was working they way she needed it to work. No expectations, just a good time. He gave her a reason to forget about wanting Maura.

Now, it seemed that she had Maura. The Medical Examiner was someone who understood why when they found a dead child she couldn't stop working until they found the person responsible. She understood the built in need the detective had for finding suspects and finding justice for victims. Maura actually understood. She would never expect Jane to not do her job. Jane would never hesitate in an intense situation because if she did Maura might have to relive everything that happened after she shot herself. That was something she silently promised herself, to never put herself in a situation where Maura would ever hurt that way again. Of course, it would happen; however, she had made it a point to be more careful on the job to avoid hurting the honey blond.

All of a sudden, it hit her. She rapidly ran through past memories. Maura's face had been flashing through her mind in all of her most recent situations at work. It has always given her a sense of calm and clarity. Maura made her a better Detective. Maybe she just needed more time to process what she and Maura were doing. Maybe, just maybe she could have a relationship with Maura. Maybe she could be happy with both worlds. Being a cop and being in love could be a dichotomy that could work together. _Shit! I have been around Maura too much if I am thinking about words like dichotomy._

The realization passed and she thought about having to head back to Harvard and her weird FBI case. Groaning, she got out of bed and walked over to her closet to pick out an outfit for the day. She heard the shower turn on and smiled. Today was gonna be a good day she had decided.

Maura thought about Jane's hesitant nature the night before. She did not understand why she had been halted in her efforts to return the sexual gratification. The only reason she had let it go was because whatever it was Jane was going through. The Medical Examiner had always watched as the Detective pushed away men that tried to date her. She had seen Jane run and avoid dates so many times before. Maura knew that deep down there was damage from Hoyt, Bobby Marino, and a number of other situations where Jane felt pure fear. That fear is what drove her into her job. Being a detective was the one thing that Jane would never give up. Maura always knew that anyone who would be fortunate enough to hold the detectives heart would have to share her with the homicide department of the Boston Police Department. This was another one of the many reasons she felt herself falling in love with the brunette. The ME was determined to preserve Jane's feelings, no matter how unsettled they made her feel and that included sitting back and waiting for Jane to let her in.

Maura Isles was a master of forensic pathology and was probably the perfect Jeopardy contestant had she ever had the inclination to be on the show. However, she was terrible at reading people. She never was good at understanding sarcasm or why people have little quirky ways to cope with heavy issues. Jane's use of humor in dark situations had always been an enigma to her, but she knew it was what brought the Detective back for more each day. She knew she could be the one person who could share everything with Jane.  
Maura's thoughts then drifted to Casey and the phone call she had overheard. She had felt a new emotion once she had realized who Jane was talking to...jealousy. Thoughts had run through her mind: What if Jane rejected her? What would happen to their friendship? She knew that she couldn't survive without Jane. That much was clear when she watched her fall to the ground as her body went limp against the sidewalk on that fateful day. That was the day she knew that her feelings for the brunette went deeper than their close friendship. She shook her head at the memory attempting to drive it out once and for all. Maybe she should stop thinking about the what if's. _I've been spending too much time with Jane if I am thinking about the 'what if's' and not sticking to the facts. I was in her bed last night._

Maura stood in the bathroom looking in the mirror for a few moments and smiled at the memory. She realized she never made it into the bathroom last night. She grabbed an extra towel from the linen shelf and turned on the shower. Quickly, she stepped inside. Once she was done, she dried herself off and wrapped the towel around her hair.

Walking over to the sink, she looked at the base of her toothbrush and opened the medicine cabinet under the sink, she grabbed the water pik and placed it on the counter. She began to use it to clean her teeth, when it hit her. She had been trying to think of this the night before. A water based laser. She had been reading about a new method in dentistry that used water in a laser to perform cavity drilling. It had mentioned in the article that it could easily cut through tooth enamel which is also the hardest substance in the human body. That would mean it could cut through bone. Maura rushed out into the bedroom and almost into Jane who was on her way into the bathroom. "Jane! I think I know what cut into Matthew Kohler. I think someone may have used a water laser. It's used in dental surgery. It cuts soft and hard tissue. Someone could have created a device to perhaps cut an organ out of the human body."

"Wait, are you saying you think someone created something to cut completely through a person?" She tried to ignore the fact that Maura with a towel on her head and nothing else on was incredibly sexy. She couldn't help a brief look down at the other woman's chest then back up into her eyes.

Maura was so excited she didn't even notice Jane's indulgence. "I am not sure of the motive, but I am fairly certain of the method. We need to get back to the lab."

"Ok, well...I'm gonna take a quick shower, get dressed and we'll go, it's still early. We have time."

"I am not going out there with your mother...without you."

"You are the one who lives with her...don't worry, you still have to get dressed, do your hair and makeup. I will be dressed ready to go and had breakfast and a cup of coffee before you ever leave this room." She smirked.

Maura pursed her lips. "I can be quicker than that."

Jane leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Sure, honey. Whatever you say." With that she took her clothes into the bathroom. Maura stood there pouting for a moment then took on the challenge.

"It's about time! I thought these were gonna get cold." Angela said as the two women emerged from the bedroom. She pushed a plate with an omelet sitting on it towards them slightly. "There's coffee and I took Jo out already."

"Thanks, Ma," Jane walked over first and grabbed a to-go mug and began fixing herself a cup of joe. She paused for a moment and looked over at Maura. "You want some coffee?" Maura nodded and Jane grabbed another container and began to pour the warm brown liquid into both cups.

Slowly, Maura sat down at the counter in front of a plate. "Thank you so much Angela." she barely spoke, volume closer to a whisper. She sat struggling with the uncomfortable silence that was passing between the three women.

"No problem, sweetheart! It's always my pleasure." She turned back her attention to the stove. She cracked an egg into a bowl. "So, girls...when did this new development happen?" Maura's head shot up, eyes wide.

"Two nights ago." Jane responded casually as she continued to pour sugar into her mug.

"Fine, I won't bring up marriage or grandchildren...yet!"

"Ma!" Jane spun around to face her mother who had picked up the bowl and was stirring furriousciously. "Seriously, we haven't even had a chance to go on an actual date!"

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli you haven't even had to decency to take this beautiful woman on a date before you had her in your bed?" Maura put her head in her hands. She could not believe this conversation was happening. Embarrassment creeped into her cheeks.

Jane stopped for a moment and thought about her fodder. "Well, we picked up a weird case and I was gonna ask her..." She looked over at Maura, "I was gonna ask her and plan something special, I just haven't had time." Her head dropped. All of a sudden, she felt like an asshole. She hadn't even really thought of taking her on an official date.

"Angela," Maura picked her head up and finally joined the conversation. She hesitantly continued. "We've kind of been dating for years. I appreciate you defending my honor, but we haven't jumped into anything without already knowing each other very well."

The elder Rizzoli stopped stirring and looked at the woman sitting at the counter, "I know that sweetheart. I just know I raised my daughter to be more thoughtful and respectful of others. You deserve no less than the best, which of course is my daughter. I may be biased but she is quite remarkable."

Maura smiled and forgot about her earlier fear of talking with the woman. She always enjoyed her relationship with Mrs. Rizzoli. She really was the mother she never really had. Warm, compassionate about the people she loved, and so incredibly caring. Again, she was reminded of Jane's gunshot wound. At the hospital, Angela and Frank were fighting a lot. But Angela treated her as a direct family member, as if she grew up in the Rizzoli household. She looked down at her half eaten omelet and back up towards Jane. "She is that and so much more." Jane looked at the honey blond with a warm smile.

"Ok, no more conversation about Me and Maura. We've gotta go to Harvah-d Yah-d." She laughed at herself. Opening a drawer she took out her gun and badge. She quickly fastened them to her belt.

"Actually, we aren't going there. But to another lab on a different campus. Harvard Yard is actually the oldest portion of the Harvard campus and is located quite centrally to its main campus. It is also on the National Registry of Historic Places and in a National Historic Landmark District."

"Yeah, Maur. I know...I was...just. Just grab your omelet and let's go! We've gotta murder to solve!" She kissed her mother on the cheek. "Thanks for breakfast Ma." She watched Maura grabbing her keys and purse. "And for being an amazing mother."

Angela smiled at her daughter as she threw on a coat and grabbed the omelet. She shoved a large portion into her mouth as she opened the door. "You two girls be safe!" In a flash, both women disappeared. A smile grew on her lips as she poured her mixture into the pan on the stove.


	7. Heart to Heart

"Dr. Isles! So wonderful to see you again! Detective Rizzoli you are looking quite chipper so early this morning!" Walter bellowed as the doors to his lab opened and the two women entered. He was busy over a table working on some kind of light.

"Good morning, Walter," Maura said as she walked in and up to the table.

"Hey," Jane mumbled. Her mind wandered to the drive to the lab. She drove Maura's prius and was convinced that it was going to be cause for an argument. But the pathologist had only grinned and handed her the keys. Most of the drive was silent. Jane spent most of the time thinking about how she was feeling. Sitting in the car on the way to work next to Maura felt like it did everyday, only better. She was having a hard time describing this new development to herself. It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. She felt uncomfortable with Maura touching her. She wasn't completely sure why. She had no problem with touching the beautiful honey blond. In fact, she had never felt like that in bed with anyone else. She tended to be selfish in her sexual conquests. More of a receiver than a giver. But the night before made her reevaluate that conclusion.

The Detective wanted nothing more that to give anything and everything to Dr. Isles. She was completely satisfied last night. It wasn't about her own end game. That was why she halted the other woman's effort. She didn't want to be selfish their first time together when she was so completely happy. That must be what felt so strange. Happiness. She had been having feelings for her friend for years. The fact that it was actually happening was out of her own mental capacity. She looked at Maura interacting with the older man.

"Walter," the ME continued, "I was thinking this morning that we are looking at the wrong state of matter in the laser theory. I believe that using a liquid would have been more appropriate to do this kind of damage. The particles would be much more excited."

Walter watched the woman and his eyes grew larger. "That's it! Dr. Isles I knew I would enjoy working with you! Now tell me, when you first arrived on scene was the body or clothing wet?"

"Please call me Maura, and yes The front of his shirt, pants, and his face was wet. However, there was dew on the grass that he was lying on. It made sense that he would be wet where he was lying." She grabbed a pair of latex gloves and put them on her hands.

"What if he was wet because of excess liquid being outputted from the laser itself? In fact, I am convinced that you are indeed correct."

"I was thinking, Walter, that we should test the victim's clothing and see if we can determine the type of liquid used. If it was in fact water, it would could be impossible to trace. If it was something else, then perhaps we could narrow down a place that the substance originated from." Maura walked over to the container that held the clothes that were removed prior to the autopsy and pulled them out. She looked to Walter who had grabbed a small pair of scissors and handed them to her.

Jane stood and watched the two of them working together. She tried to think about the case but something was missing. She couldn't figure out what it was that bothered her, but something was definitely off. She heard the door open and turned to see Olivia and Peter walk into the lab followed closely by Frost and Astrid. She turned back to watching Maura.

"Hey," Olivia said addressing Jane, "looks like they are working on something. What did they come up with?" The Fringe Agent gave a glance to Peter. She could be civil. He acknowledged with a small chuckle.

"Maura thinks that someone used a water laser to cut the heart out. They are looking to see if they can find any evidence on his clothing." She replied without taking her eyes off of the bent over doctor.

Olivia looked at Peter who smiled and tilted his head in that 'I told you so' way. Rolling her eyes she asked another question. "So, are they looking for water or something else?"

Jane turned her head, "I think they are looking for anything they can find." A phone rang out and Jane pulled her phone to her ear, "Rizzoli" She realized nothing was there. Olivia picked up her phone smirking and listened to the voice on the other line.

She spoke quietly then turned back to Jane, "There's another body on the other side of campus. Same thing. Heart removed. Dr. Isles or Walter, who wants to come with us?"

Maura spoke up first. "It would make more sense for me to go and retrieve, with your techs, the body while Walter tests the samples we just took." Walter nodded in agreement. She pulled off her gloves and walked about of the lab with the rest of the team. Astrid stayed in the lab and asked if Walter needed anything. He looked at her briefly and shook his head no.

* * *

Jane got out of the car and followed Olivia and Maura across the sidewalk. Peter walked up next to her. "Seems like maybe you took that plunge?" He asked quietly. Frost looked at Jane and Peter. He didn't quite like that his partner was getting chummy with this guy. He walked around them and caught up with Dr. Isles and Special Agent Dunham.

Jane smiled and looked at him. "How could you possibly know that?" She saw Frost pass around her and lowered her gaze back to the gentleman with the scruffy face. He too saw the man walk passing and hesitated with his response.

"I just sat for 15 minutes in a car with you staring at her the entire time. You had a stupid grin on your face." He stopped walking for a moment and looked at her.

She followed suit, "Ok, so...maybe we did. And maybe it was kind of amazing." She smiled and looked over as Olivia held a glass door open and Maura walked inside. She nodded towards the other two women as they both moved to catch up.

"Well, congrats. That's great for you two." He held the door open and Jane walked inside.

Once she set foot on the interior of the small retail space she started looking around at the walls. "Are you shitting me? This guy works in a sex toy shop?" Her eyes immediately found Maura who was already bent down looking at the body. At the comment, the Medical Examiner looked over and smiled brightly. Jane silently begged the other woman to keep quiet and not say anything. "Erm, what do you see Maur?" She looked over as Olivia was talking to a young kid who obviously had been the one to open the store in the morning.

"Well, there is a large area of fluid that would be consistent with was was found on Matthew Kohler's body. I have to run tests on it to confirm. There is a hole through his torso. I will need to complete an autopsy to confirm it this was the exact same circumference as the previous victim."

"Ok, well I am going to assume for now that this is the exact same injury. Until you confirm or tell me otherwise." Jane looked over to Peter was was standing near looking around the floor. "Do you see anything interesting?" she asked him.

"Not yet. But whatever the liquid is it seems like there are shards of glass in the carpet."

"I'm going to ask to see the video from last night. See what I can see." Frost pointed up at the corner near the ceiling where a small camera sat. He looked at the kid Olivia was talking to. She had put her hand on the kids shoulder and was starting to walk away. Frost saw his chance.

Olivia walked back over to the group. "Ok, so the kid here is Jason Metamora. The kid in front was just coming in to open. Jason was supposed to close up last night."

"Jason Metamora was in two classes with Matthew. He was one of the people we were going to follow up with this morning." Jane said. "Maybe we need to look through the class roster again and see who we haven't talked to but keep it narrowed down to those in those classes." She looked up and saw a mannequin against the wall. The female form had a black leather harness wrapped around the slim looking hips. Protruding from it was an erect silicone penis that was bright green. Her eyes went wide at the sight then looked sheepishly at Maura who had been watching her speak.

The blond woman followed Jane's gaze and felt a blush run up her cheek. She looked at Peter who was kneeling on the floor and looking closely at it. Olivia was oblivious to the pause and was looking down at the body. Maura looked back to Jane, who grinned. She felt her stomach flutter and knew she was aroused at the thought of Jane wearing the contraption and fucking her with it. She smiled back at the detective.

"Do you have the list with you Jane?" Olivia asked, without her previous attitude.

"I left my book in the car. The roster is with it." With that she turned and jogged out of the store.

Maura stood up. "We can get the techs to take the body back to the lab. Also, I need samples of the glass shards that Peter found." He looked up at the mention of his name briefly. "Special Agent Dunham?" Olivia looked back to her and nodded. With the permission, Maura continued, "I tend to have a difficult time with forming an opinion without evidence to back it up. In this case, I believe that someone is harvesting hearts specifically. With both victims being male, I think that you should be looking for a young woman perhaps." Olivia straightened herself.

"A young woman? Why would you think that? This is more of a serial killer MO, who tend to be white males." Jane jogged back in the door with a group of papers in her hand. She stood and listened to the conversation.

"Many cultures find the that heart is the human container of emotions. The etymological base of the word is from the greek word kardia. There are many common metaphors that are used in regards to the heart. Such as 'heartbreaking'. When we feel a certain emotion our hormones surge through our body. The part in our brain that regulates our emotional reactions is called the anterior cingulate cortex. During a particularly stressful experience, the anterior cingulate cortex may respond by sending out hormones and increasing the activity of the vagus nerve—the nerve that starts in the brain stem and connects to the neck, chest and abdomen. When the vagus nerve is overstimulated, it can cause pain and nausea. Generally, most people tend to feel the physiological sensation in their chest, where the heart is. When in fact it is just the heart pumping blood and involuntarily reacting the the hormones in the body. This is where we also get metaphors like, 'heart-throb.' The attraction one feels towards another can create an increase in heart rate, which makes one feel as if their heart is throbbing."

"How does that describe why you think that a woman is behind these attacks?" Olivia questioned, starting to feel frustrated by the long answer.

She looked at Jane for a moment. "Women tend to be more emotional than men. If someone wanted to collect hearts, it would mean that the person was essentially capturing the emotional container in a physical form. In that context, they would have the basis of love, passion, or desire from a single person. I think that a woman is collecting the hearts of men that she feels those types of connections and emotions with." Peter stood and put his hand on Olivia's shoulder.

"Liv, I think she's right. Coeur à coeur or Heart to heart. It is the body part that stands for the metaphor. This woman, whoever she is must be trying to keep their hearts close to her own." Jane listened for a minute and looked through the papers in her hands.

"Hey, out of the two classes that Matthew and Jason were both in, we have four girls in both classes. We have only spoken to one of them. Ashley Bennett. The other three are Marcia Lynne, Janis LeFevre, and Michelle Li."

"I'll go with Jane, Frost and Liv you can look for Janis and Marcia. We'll talk to Ashley again and find Michelle."

"I can accompany Peter and Jane," the pathologist blurted out.

"Why would a medical examiner go to a potential suspect interview?" The blond agent shot back.

Maura paused for a moment. No one back at BPD really questioned when she had insisted on becoming part of the investigation. Jane would whine about it but generally it was accepted that she was part of the team and could be utilized for more than her position as the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth. She realized in this brief moment that she uses this excuse to spend unnecessary working hours with Jane.

Luckily for the doctor, Jane had secretly enjoyed when the ME made herself a part of her investigations and spoke up for her. "Actually, she's a human lie detector. She often assists us during investigations because she had an unnatural amount of knowledge about everything. She is great to bounce ideas off of, she gives our investigations an education that a lot of precincts lack. She also is a great profiler even though she hides behind her lack of guessing ability. But that actually helps us most in court that she rarely, if ever, makes a theory outside of the evidence. I would appreciate it if she accompanied us."

The honey blond woman stood there looking at the Detective. She could believe she had something like that at the ready. She was teased so often for her "google mouth" by the brunette that she had always assumed that how she worked did annoy the woman. She realized that her heart rate was increasing and that her hormone levels were beginning to pump through her veins. She felt as if her own heart was swelling.

Olivia nodded in agreement. She excused herself and pulled out her phone on her way out of the front door. Peter excused himself to go and see if Frost had found anything in the back room. Maura looked at Jane. Their eyes met and the doctor smiled. "Thank you, Jane." She briefly let her eyes wander back over towards the mannequin. With her voice lowered to a whisper, "You know, it is quite ironic that this is a sex toy shop." Jane followed her eyes, a smile came over her face.

"Dr. Isles, after one night are we ready to start experimenting?"

"Not at all, Detective. I don't see it as experimenting at all. I think that would look quite good on you. However, we could look at something not so bright...green. Or maybe we should look into one that would penetrate us both?" The expression on her face was one of calm and there was an air of matter-of-fact that hovered.

Jane, on the other hand, was totally following the conversation until the last question. Her cheeks immediately turned bright red and she desperately looked around for anyone to have overheard the comment. She laughed uneasily as she only had seen the young man who was standing at the cashier's desk. He looked at her and smiled. "We have plenty of double dildo's to choose from Detective. And no need to be embarrassed. We have seen people come in and buy all sorts of things. I make no judgements." The kid was straight faced, but the brunette was mortified. She stood there with her mouth wide open not knowing what to say.

He walked over to Maura who was smiling pleasantly. "Right over here ma'am. See, with this harness there is a complete hole so that the double, like...this one over here fits through and both of you can enjoy, as you say...penetration. If your girlfriend isn't comfortable with that." Maura looked briefly at Jane as she tried out in her head how the word girlfriend sounded when speaking of Jane. She smiled at her even though she was still standing with her mouth open, obviously unable to move. "You could buy this harness without the hole. It has a pocket for a small bullet or something. It snaps around a ring that holds a single dildo in place." Maura was so very intrigued. She followed his every word as she held the harnesses in her hands.

"Maura! My God! We are working a case!" Jane went over and grabbed her elbow.

"Jane, there is no reason to be embarrassed and we have to wait for Detective Frost and Mr. Bishop." She turned her attention back to the sales clerk. "I'll take them both. We can decide later. But do we have a better color choice? I am not fond of black and she hates pink. Ooo...semi-transparent? I'll take those."

The clerk began to gather the items and Jane put her fingers on the bridge of her nose. "This is what dating you is going to be like isn't it? I mean, I should be used to it. As your best friend, I had to be in embarrassing situations like this when you were getting ready for some stupid date. Now, you are shopping for things to do with me. I don't know what's worse!" The clerk quickly rang up Maura's purchases and put everything into a black plastic bag. Jane grabbed at the bag.

"Don't, Jane." She pulled it away from her. "Ah, Detective Frost." She slipped the bag behind her back and faced the two men coming out of the back room.

"Jane, they turned the tapes off before closing. There's nothing there." He said.

"Yeah, ok. Thanks for checking. Ok, you are with Special Agent Dunham. She's outside. Peter, let's go." He started walking towards the door.

Frost looked at Maura for a moment and looked at the bag she was trying to hide behind her back. She saw him raise his eyebrows at her. She gave him a stern look and glanced towards Jane. When she looked back at him she realized her mistake. His mouth opened slightly to speak. She flung an index finger up in front of his face. He closed his mouth and turned it up into a smile. "Congrats, Doctor Isles. It's about time." He whispered. She tilted her head in slight confusion. He made movement towards the door. Three techs walked in.

"The body is over here. Make sure no one sees the body and take him directly to this address." She reached into her purse and grabbed a card. She wrote the lab address quickly. "Walter Bishop is who you will release the body to. When you get back to check in have your supervisor call me." The man she was speaking to nodded and grabbed the card. She turned on her heel and walked out towards the car.


	8. Observations

**A/N: Ok, I decided to use a little bit of R & I season three canon into the story...just about Maura's parents. FYI. Again, thank all of you who have favorite and followed this story! I really hope you are enjoying it! **

**Chapter 8**

* * *

"So, Detective Frost," Olivia began as they made their way to the building where Janis LeFevre was supposed to be in her biology class. She could not believe that the Boston Police Department would allow a Medical Examiner to interview witnesses. She never made the connection that Peter Bishop has never been an FBI agent, yet works very closely to every investigation. If she was the Chief Medical Examiner for the entire commonwealth, wouldn't she be completely busy to be so involved in homicides cases? She even liked the ME, she was quirky like Walter; perhaps, a little uptight, but there was nothing that made her feel uneasy.

Mostly, there was still something about Jane that was irritating her. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly. But the fact that her boyfriend was getting along with her did not help. Now, she had Detective Rizzoli's partner in the car. She could ask him a few questions. The Agent looked briefly at the man in the passenger seat and decided that she liked Detective Frost.

"Yeah?" Came a lazy reply.

"Do you really let your ME just accompany you to interview witnesses? Isn't that a little out of her job description? I mean…are you gonna tell me next that she interrogates alongside Detective Rizzoli as well?" She let out a little chuckle till she looked over and saw his face. "She takes part in interrogations too?"

That caused the Detective to laugh, "Well, like Jane said, she is an incredible lie detector. She can't lie herself but she can read the physiological symptoms like nobody's business! She doesn't really do it very often. I know some departments have a psychologist that assists them with interrogations, she sort fills that role since we don't have the funding to keep one on staff."

"She can't lie? Everyone can lie!"

"Dr. Isles cannot. Seriously, she breaks out into hives if she even tries."

"Are you sure it isn't just a way to spend more time with Jane?" She pulled into a small parking lot near the building. She looked for an empty space.

Frost stopped for a moment. He had always fantasized about the two women getting together because of how hot that would be? But he also knew his partner. Jane was completely in love with Maura. The pathologist seemed oblivious and was always dating some guy. "You know, it's funny you say that cause I thought it was the other way around! I thought Jane always invited her cause she just wanted her nearby."

She found one at the back of the lot. She groaned. "Not today, it was Dr. Isles who wanted to go with them."

"Maybe. But I've known them for a while and they are best friends. I thought maybe Maur...I mean, Dr. Isles was maybe…um…a little jealous of Jane's new found friendship with Mr. Bishop. Those two just seem too chummy for me. I mean you and I ain't pulling one another over to the side to have some secret conversation." The last bit trailed off a bit and then he realized he said way too much. He, in fact, did not like Peter getting friendly with his partner. He knew it was dumb. They were partners and great friends. He had secretly been glad that Maura would accompany the two, and that she was just as jealous as he was. Misery loves company that much he knew. But Barry Frost had just realized that jealously likes company too.

"You mean, Walter?"

"Uh, nevermind. Not a big deal I just mean...uh..."

"You must mean Peter. She's getting...all...chummy...with Peter?" She unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the car. Frost followed suit and they both headed towards a large brick building that seemed to tower over them. He looked at the blond woman whose strut was so similar to Jane's angry swagger he realized that the friendly Peter and Jane didn't sit well with the Special Agent either.

"I mean, kinda. But I mean, not like romantically. He isn't Jane's type." She stopped just before reaching the entrance. She turned and looked at him. She had already noticed that Peter and Jane were getting along really well. It irritated her to no end the day before but now it was frustrating that it was being noticed by someone else who was a stranger.

"Detective Frost, I think we are done talking about this topic. Let's just find Janis." She turned and opened the door. She glided into the building. If her blond hair hadn't swept around her shoulders as she went inside, Frost could have sworn that it had been Jane that just shut him down. He shook his head at the eerie similarity and followed.

They entered the large room and began walking down the center aisle down some steps towards the professor who had his back to the room drawing a complex looking molecule on the board. "As you can see, when these two elements are bonded together, they form a..." He had turned around to see the two new people in his classroom. "I'm sorry. I am in the middle of a lecture. Can I help you?"

"I apologize Professor, but I am with the FBI, Special Agent Olivia Dunham. I am looking for Janis LeFevre. May we speak with her please?" She held out her badge for him to inspect. He nodded, uninterested.

"Janis, can you please take these two people out of my classroom." The young girl was caught off guard by the specific request. She stood up and walked out into the hallway. She turned around and looked at the two people standing in front of her she was confused as to why they wanted to speak to her.

"Janis, I am Special Agent Olivia Dunham with the FBI, this is Detective Frost with Boston Police Department. We wanted to know if you these two young men." She pulled out two photos.

Janis looked at the photo of Matthew and smiled. Then she looked at the photo of Jason. His eyes were closed and she didn't understand why. "That is Matt and what's wrong with Jason?"

"I am sorry to have to tell you this but we found Jason this morning. He is dead. They both are." Frost said. He had seen this so many times he flinched internally when the poor girl started to cry. She had repeated his last sentence.

"Can we ask you a few questions?" Olivia's tone was soft. Again, Frost couldn't believe how much like his partner she was. She nodded and the investigator continued. "How did you know Matthew and Jason?"

"We are in a couple of classes together. Matt was in a study group with me and a few others. Jason and I went on a few dates. He and I were supposed to have dinner tonight!" Sobs shook her body some more as she felt the loss.

Olivia looked at Frost for a moment and asked the next question. "And what was the nature of your relationship with Matthew?"

"We didn't have one. I mean, he was just kinda there. He was really quiet but really smart. I never really got to know him."

"Did he have a girlfriend or do you know if any girls were interested in him?" Frost spoke up and Olivia gave him a curious look. She liked the dark skinned man. He was quick and she saw that he was good at his job.

"I have no idea! I just," she let out a choked sob again. "I just can't believe Jason is gone! He was the sweetest guy! Why would anyone want to kill him?" The rest of the questions were fruitless. They attempted to comfort the girl as best they could. Then, they excused themselves.

Once back in the car, Frost spoke up. "Ok, Janis was dating Jason. Maybe someone didn't like that he was interested in Janis. Cause I gotta be honest with you. I think there is something to the organ collecting thing. I think Maura is right. I mean. Dr. Isles. I think it makes sense that if a girl was out of her skull in love with someone maybe she is literally stealing their hearts. So, they can't love anyone but her."

"I am kinda getting that same feeling. I think we'll go pay a visit to Marcia Lynne. But wouldn't there only be one murder then? I mean two different guys? Call Astrid and have her run the records of our four women. See if anyone of them got into trouble before. Then, let's call Detective Rizzoli and give her an update on what we are thinking." Frost nodded and pulled out his phone.

* * *

The young woman sat on the park bench. She looked out over the campus. It was still early in the morning. Her backpack sat next to her. It was dripping with water. A puddle was forming beneath her. She saw people walking around. A few people were sitting on the lawn reading books or talking with someone. Closing her eyes she imagined how she was going to feel after she made it back to her special place. Once she had allowed herself to reveal her new treasure, she felt the strength return to her. Just like she knew that it would.

The days had been lonely for her. She sat every day and longed for someone...anyone to notice her. She was shy, of course. Who wouldn't be? She had spent the entire time in high school being ridiculed for how odd she was and she only spent extra time in the science labs. No one wanted to hang out with a science geek. What most kids in high school never knew was that she had a special power. In her deepest, darkest moments, she would sit in her room and think about a boy she liked. Chuck. With eyes closed she could feel another heart beating in her chest. She would slow her breathing down and concentrate on the foreign pump in her chest.

She could control her own heart beat to match in time with Chuck. She wasn't sure when she figured out that she could feel other people's heart beats in her own chest. But she knew if she had figured out how to focus on someone hard enough, no matter where they were. She could feel it. As she sat in her room alone, her heart beating with Chuck's heart. She felt happy. She felt a strong bond with Chuck. He never spoke to her or looked at her, but she knew that she was his and he was hers. The most amazing feeling was being able to feel his strength course through her veins. Even when she was tired, she could feel him inside of her giving her energy.

Until one day, when she walked down the hallway and saw Chuck kissing Susan against his locker. She went straight into the lab. She threw a few glass containers around the room and sobbed as a teacher heard the sound of breaking glass. She stood in the middle of the room and felt guilty for a moment for being destructive. The teacher had assumed that she had tripped and fallen. She took her straight to the school nurse.

The nurse examined her and left to call her parents. She sat in the room with tears in her eyes and that is when she saw it. She saw a shelf with various models of pieces of the human body. A knee with all of the tendons and muscles exposed. An eyeball connected to the optic nerve, the lower portion of a spine, and a dissected Heart. She stopped crying and stared at the heart. It was an inanimate object, but she closed her eyes and focused on it. She looked up and saw the slightest movement in the model. She knew it was beating in time with her own heart rhythm.  
She had smiled the rest of the day. She had smiled the rest of the year. She knew what she had to do. She had to get Chuck's heart back. She would find a way to get it and keep it for herself. Two years later, she graduated and her parents sent her off to school. After four years as an undergraduate, she was asked to be a graduate teaching assistant for her physics professor. Her device was nearing completion and now she had an opportunity to have unlimited access to the lab and materials.

She opened her eyes again and looked around campus. She grabbed her soaked bag and started to walk.

* * *

"Ok, got it! Thanks, Frost," Jane tossed her phone on the console between the seats. She looked at Maura in the passenger seat. She smiled for a minute and placed her hand on the other woman's thigh. "They talked with Janis. She dated Jason, but it seems nothing really there. They are on their way to talk to Marcia Lynne. Frost is thinking that someone is collecting their hearts because they are jealous that these guys aren't into them. So, we are supposed to ask about that kind of stuff. But Ashley Bennett didn't seem like she really knew either Matthew or Jason." She focused on the road.

Maura placed her hand over the Detectives and smiled. Peter saw the exchange in the back seat. "I've gotta say that you two are way too cute. It's sort of repulsive. I may get sick back here." He grinned at Jane's look in the rearview mirror. She laughed.

The medical examiner failed to hear the sarcasm, "Mr. Bishop, if you are feeling sick, we can pull the car over. However, I fail to see how we are causing your nausea." She rolled her eyes and looked over at Jane. "Oh. He was kidding, wasn't he?" Jane nodded with a supportive smile.

"You know, Dr. Isles, you can call me Peter. I mean, I am dating the FBI, Fringe version of your girlfriend. We must have things in common. What about your folks? What are they like?"

Maura sighed. "It isn't really any of your business." Jane glared at her and mouthed, _be nice_! "Fine," She grumbled. "I was adopted by two wonderful people who have spent most of my life avoiding spending time with me. My biological father is a criminal and my biological mother is a world renowned doctor. I don't have a relationship with either of them. So, there you are. We have nothing in common. You obviously have a fantastic relationship with your father."

Peter laughed, "It isn't all peas and carrots." The reference was missed on Maura, but Jane laughed. "I was...sort of...adopted by Walter. I can't explain to you exactly because you don't have clearance for that information. My biological father and mother live...well, in what seems to be a world away. He is a very powerful man and I can't figure out the intentions of his decisions, he seems very much a criminal to me. Walter was in a mental institution for over 17 years. Not really involved in raising me and my mother killed herself. Not so far off, Doctor."

Maura's analytical mind took in the bits of information. She couldn't help but make the comparison and realize that her and Peter may have more in common than she wanted to admit. She didn't like how well he and Jane had been getting along. She rarely gets along with people so quickly on such a personal level. She was starting to feel overwhelmed. This was becoming too much, too fast for the Doctor who always relied on the consistency of her life. She lost her logic and kissed Jane only a few short days ago. Then, to her amazement Jane and her spent the night together and were talking about being together and what that meant. Even, Angela wanted to know about their future together. Now, she was immersed in the strangest case she had ever worked on and was having difficulty navigating through the information presented to her.

During all of this, Peter and Jane hit it off and she almost felt like a third wheel. He already understood Jane's humor. He understood her sarcasm and made references to pop culture that eluded her. It had taken her years to understand the social cues that flowed out of Jane with ease. This was a disadvantage for the Doctor. How could she compete with a handsome man who seemed to understand and "get" her Detective?

She looked down at the hand on her thigh. She gave the hand a small squeeze. "Perhaps, we aren't as different as I originally thought."

"She guessed! You made her guess, Peter! Dr. Isles here...never guesses. Yet, she assuming that you and she have nothing in common." She looked at the blond woman who was glaring at her. "Don't worry, puddin', I still love you." Jane smiled and pulled the car into a parking space. Peter got out of the car. Jane looked at Maura, "And I think I love you just a little bit more for it." She leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss on the stunned woman's lips. She backed up smiling and got out of the car.

Maura sat in the car for a moment more. She realized that she was jealous. She had never been in a relationship that had meant enough to her for her to be jealous of other people. They had only just told one another that they were attracted to each other and now Jane was throwing around the 'love' word, being affectionate in front of strangers, and she was jealous. This was all too foreign to her. She needed to do some research. It was the only thing that could calm the blond down from the emotional whirlwind she found herself in. Tropical Storm Jane. She laughed to herself as she got out of the vehicle and followed the Detective. Jane would have liked her internal joke. She decided to keep it to herself as they made their way into another large lab.

"Is anyone here?" Peter called out. There was some noise on one side of the room and a small, elderly man appeared from around a corner of the room.

"Yes?" said the man. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Jane started, "I am Detective Jane Rizzoli, with the Boston Police Department. This is my colleague Mr. Peter Bishop, and the Chief Medical Examiner for the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Doctor Maura Isles." She beamed at Maura as she recited her title and name. "We are looking for a Michelle Li, she is in your..."

"She isn't here right now. She's my teaching assistant for the class you are about to refer to," she was taken aback slightly at the man's abrupt response.

"Teaching assistant? She's enrolled in the class, isn't she?" Jane questioned.

"That's correct. I'm Professor Aubin. She typically enrolls in the class to fill up her schedule. But as a graduate student her schedule is much more fluid than most." This caught Peter and Jane's attention.

Peter asked, "Have you seen her in the last two days?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I have not. But that is not atypical for Michelle. She has been working on her thesis. She isn't required to attend my class. She has office hours and meets with students as she is required."

"When are her office hours?" Jane asked.

"Tomorrow at 2 in the afternoon until six. Her office is in that small room over there. If you would like, you could come back then."

"Ok, thank you for your time, Professor." Jane said and spun around to leave. Peter followed.

"Excuse me, Professor. I have a question. What exactly is Michelle's thesis?" Maura spoke softly. Jane rolled her eyes. Of course, Maura would care about this girl's thesis.

"It's quite a fascinating subject, Doctor." He remembered the beautiful woman's title quite easily. "She has been working to create a water-like substance to be used as the medium in a new laser she is trying to develop for medical advances in surgery. She has not been able to control the substance very well. It tends to dissect through the fetal pigs much too quickly. But she may make a breakthrough one day, she is quite the genius. I have never had a student as dedicated or brilliant. Can you imagine not needing to use scalpels or bone saws any longer, Dr. Isles?" Jane stopped in her tracks and turned. She looked at Maura, who was politely responding to the professor. She quickly made her exit. Jane and Peter caught up to her in the hallway.

She spun around. "Detective, I think it's time you called Agent Dunham. We need a search warrant for this lab and Michelle Li's office. Hopefully, we will be able to find the substance she created and then if we can match it to the substances at the scene. Maybe we'll even find the murder weapon."

"How did you know to ask about her thesis topic?" the detective asked.

"We were standing in a physics lab, Jane," Maura stated as if that was the complete answer.

"Um...Ok. Good for us. Now, I feel smarter. Thank you Dr. Isles, for reminding me that we were in a physics lab...and standing no less." That earned the Detective an eye roll.

"We have been talking about a laser as a potential murder weapon...have we not?"

"Well, yeah. Now, I get it. Totally. I totally get that connection." She looked at her and wanted Maura to just spit it out.

"The science of lasers is generally considered to be under the general Physics umbrella. Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts such as energy and force. Also, lasers...as it deals with matter, motion, reflection, energy, and a few others but by now, Detective you have completely stopped listening to me." She looked at the blank look on Jane's face.

"I was listening, sweetheart. I was just also thinking. I can do both. You know, like walk AND chew gum. I am talented in many ways." She smirked and Maura smiled back. She was beginning to like this new side of Jane. The affectionate one. The one who was trying on pet names for her. _I hope she keeps sweetheart and drops the puddin'._

Jane pulled out her phone. She had a case to solve so that she could get back to her real job and away from the science.

Peter watched the scene unfold in front of him. He looked past Jane's shoulder and saw the bald man in the dark suit. "Will you excuse me?" Maura nodded off handedly, never taking her gaze off of the brunette. Peter walked towards the mysterious man, and followed him into a classroom. When he walked inside the room was empty. He looked around finding no one. He turned to leave and ran into the Observer.

"What are you doing here?"

"Peter Bishop. We meet again." The man's tone was robotic and even.

"Do I have to ask again?"

"No. You do not. I am not here for you. That Detective you are with. I have a message for her."

"You can't give her a message! She doesn't know anything about the Observers."

"This is true. But she knows of us on the other side. Her alternate is very high up on the Secretary of Defense's personal panel of advisors. As is Dr. Isles. But in this world she has yet to fulfill her destiny. She must know, Peter. She must be told that there is one more. One more apprentice. She and Dr. Isles are in danger. He saw them last night and had his confirmation of their love. You must warn them."

"What the hell does that mean? Listen, you son-uva-bitch, I am sick and tired of you giving these ridiculous half messages." He reached out to grab the man, but he was gone. He stood there for a minute feeling slightly dazed. He walked back out into the hallway.

"Hey!" Jane called out to him. "Where'd you go? Hey. You look like you've seen a ghost."

He looked back and forth between the two women. "I don't know if this means anything to either of you but I was just told something that makes no sense to me. But it seems important."

"Ok. Well, the search warrants and Agent Dunham and Frost are on their way, so spit it out."

"He said to tell you that there is one more apprentice. He saw you and Dr. Isles last night. He now knows that you two love each other. What the hell does that even mean?" Now, it was Jane that looked like she saw a ghost. She looked over at Maura and felt her body sway and her head felt light.

"No, NO! Not again..." The detective slumped to the floor. Peter and Maura tried to catch her and laid her down, passed out on the floor.

"Peter, who told you this information?" Maura snapped into protection mode.

"I can't tell you. It's classified." He apologized.

"Goddamnit, you tell me NOW!" The outburst seemed out of character for this woman. He decided that he had to explain to her or they could let their guard for whatever the danger was.

"There are people who come here from the future. You aren't even going to believe me if I say this!"

"Try me," she looked at him sternly.

"We call them the Observers. They observe us and have been recorded throughout history to be present whenever an important event takes place. We don't know much about them. But they rarely get involved with anything. But I saw one last night when Jane and I were walking back to the lab. He was watching us. I just saw him in the hallway and followed him. He said that Jane hasn't fulfilled her destiny in this universe and that there was one more apprentice."

Maura tried to process this. Jane started to groan. She sat up and looked at Maura and Peter. "What do you mean this universe?"

"There is a parallel universe to this one. It's where I'm from. We call it the other side. There are essentially doubles of ourselves living just as we are living. The differences between us have grown since I was kidnapped by Walter, who is my biological father. But his alternate and his wife are my birth parents."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Jane said as she started to listen into the conversation.

"Language, Jane," automatically came out of Maura's mouth. "So, there is an alternate of Jane and myself in this parallel universe?"

"Yes, he told me that you both are high up on my father's defense cabinet. You both seem to have very important roles over there. My father is the Secretary of Defense. Which in their world is kind of a big deal. What does the Observer mean by apprentice? Why are you in danger?"

"Hoyt. The serial killer that gave me these," she said as she held up her palms. "While he was in prison, he had trained an apprentice to kill the same way he did. He killed...um...he killed couples. Hoyt had escaped in an attempt to kill me. And eventually, Hoyt was dying back in prison. Maura and I ended up trapped in the infirmary with him and another apprentice. They tried to kill us. I killed Hoyt. We had always hoped that was the end of that nightmare. We considered the notion of multiple apprentices. But since his death, we have had no connections to any murders that were even close to his M.O."

"Jane, I think we need to call Korsak." Maura put her hand on Jane's cheek. She was worried.

"Yeah? And tell him what? That some guy who knows about our alternate universe selves told us so? We have no evidence to back up what this guy is saying." Jane stood up.

"I am telling you, this guy is not making it up." Peter said. "I wouldn't take this lightly if I were you. He was telling me that there is an apprentice going to kill you both."

Maura stood and wrapped her arms around the brunette. They stood that way for a few minutes. "Jane, if there is another apprentice out there he will be after you. You would never expect an attack. If he is watching you and he knows about us already. We are not safe. But this time you aren't going to go through this alone. I am here."

Jane tightened her hold on the smaller woman. She was starting to feel the gravity of the situation. What made it difficult to Jane was the idea that someone had been watching her. Her face in soft blond hair, she moved her lips close to her ear, "Maura, I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you. I swear it."


	9. Cat and Mouse

**A/N: Wow. I apologize for not updating any sooner. I kinda didn't think anyone really cared about this one I've gotten a couple more reviews and figured I should finish this thing. I had only planned this to be 10 chapters. Hopefully, I can sit down and tie everything up in the next chapter. I may split it if need be.**

**I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this story. It really means a lot to me. Thanks to my extra special beta...Cstarj**

Peter had found a chair for Jane to sit in. Maura was on the phone with Cavanaugh trying to describe the situation without describing the situation. "No, sir. I can't answer that. Yes, sir. I do believe the threat. No, sir. No. I can't divulge that information. I only want to speak to you and Sergeant Korsak. No, I do not think it would be wise at this point to discuss this further up the chain of command. No, I cannot say."

Peter smirked at Jane. "You know, if this wasn't so serious. Her on the phone trying not to lie to your boss is kinda funny." Jane looked up with a shocked look on her face. Peter leaned over and put his hand on her shoulder. "Jane, we won't let anything happen to either of you."

"I know. I...I'm so sick and tired of feeling this fear from this one asshole. And he brought Maura into this nightmare. How can I protect her and keep her safe if I attract all of the crazies? And we have got to find Michelle Li."

"Peter?" Olivia's voice echoed down the corridor. Peter removed his hand and stood up.

"Liv, did you get the search warrants?" She nodded and held up a group of papers. "Listen, I have to tell you that I just saw September. He warned me about a serious threat to Jane and Maura." Frost looked over at Maura and realized she was on the phone with his lieutenant.

"What kind of threat?" He asked.

"He told me that there was another apprentice and he knows that Jane and Maura are together." Peter looked back to Jane who stood up.

Frost looked at Jane with wide eyes, "Together? Like together...together?" Jane just nodded. "Shit. Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "It just happened. You know what will happen when my mother finds out." He nodded in agreement and seemed to drop it. After a moment, he held up a closed fist. She looked at it, rolled her eyes, and then bumped it with her own fist. They both smiled.

"Ok, now that we got that out of the way. Can we search the lab?" Olivia was getting antsy and wanted to finish this case and be away from this drama. Maura hung up the phone and joined the group. "I think I should take Dr. Isles with me to check out the office. Jane and Frost, you start with the rest of the lab. Peter, stay out here and wait for Broyles. He is on his way with Nina Sharp."

The group headed back towards the lab. Peter sat down in the chair.

* * *

Michelle carefully set the jar on the shelf. She looked at her accomplishments. She would never be alone again. She had claimed their hearts. She smiled. For a few moments, she was lost as she stared at the shelf. Opening her backpack, she took out her invention. She laid it on the table. It was becoming frustrating that the initial idea to have the laser cut through an entire chest cavity so quickly was taking so long. Her theory was to have the two dueling water lasers spin at the approximate size of the heart. Of course, over time she knew she could collect other organs. But she needed the heart first. The heart was where the love was stored.

Her contraption worked fast enough through the front of the chest. It effectively kept the men quiet before eliminating their hearts contact with arteries. Instantly, it cut off blood flow to the rest of the body. The hiccup was with the portion of the spine that was slowing down the process. It was difficult to maneuver holding the device and a body at the same time. Once she felt the cut piece of body come free, she had a hard time taking it out. The first time she attempted to push it out with the jar itself. But the spine had not quite been severed. She held the jar and turned the laser back on for a moment, but it had begun to cut through the jar itself. It crushed once it was in her backpack.

She looked back at the jar shelf. "I cannot believe how wonderful you are to have chosen to live with me!" She smiled. "Only two more and we can be together forever."

* * *

"Agent Dunham," Olivia barely looked up from the file she was looking at. "I think I found something. This looks like some sort of journal." Maura held in her gloved hands a leather covered book. "There are drawings of a potential device that seem to create a dual laser system. She says here that the idea is to quickly cut through the skin, muscle, and first layer of bone to isolate areas for surgery." Olivia grabbed the book and looked at what Maura was talking about. "It would make sense that she has already created this device. It would explain why the injuries on the bodies have been perfect circles."

"So, if we can find this weapon, we'd have our smoking gun?"

"I suppose so."

"Let's head to Michelle Li's apartment. If you went with me would you be able to identify it?" Maura nodded. "Then, I guess I'll find out why your Detective is so adamant to keep you around." Olivia walked out of the office. Maura stood there for a moment in slight confusion.

"Agent Dunham?" She called out as she walked behind her. Olivia nodded. "My Detective? If you are referring to Detective Rizzoli..."

"I was." She said shortly. They kept walking, Maura struggling to keep up with the blond.

"She and I have had a very professional relationship for a long time and..." She stopped abruptly when Olivia spun around.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude. But I don't really care what your relationship is with Detective Rizzoli. You both are only here out of happenstance. If the two of you go home and bang at night...hey, whatever floats your boat." Maura gasped in offense. "Can we just go to the apartment?"

"You're just jealous of her."

She took a step closer to the Medical Examiner. She narrowed her eyes at her. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me Agent Dunham," she said with more than a hint of anger in her voice. "It's quite common amongst various areas of law enforcement for colleagues to feel threatened when someone else comes along to help in an investigation. I'm sure there are studies out there to talk about various pissing matches you all involve yourselves with. But Jane is a good Detective. Actually, she is great. The two of you would probably be friends if you were so intent on hating one another. It's just ridiculous." Maura's voice was climbing in volume. Peter was starting to walk over to the two women.

Olivia was standing there getting angry. Jane and Frost came out of the lab. "I don't know who the hell you think you are..." Jane saw them and followed hurriedly after Peter.

"I'm someone who is working and witnessing the two of you act like children! And if it bothers you that we are also exploring a new romantic relationship, that is the pot calling the pan grey. As your romantic relationship with Mr. Bishop is also quite obvious. You have no idea what Jane has been through. You have no idea what she just found out in the last hour. If you've ever felt fear before. Blood curdling, heart stopping fear...maybe you would give her a chance for five minutes. Instead of making your little comments towards the two of us."

Olivia's mouth dropped open. She felt a hand on her back and she vaguely looked over and saw Peter standing beside her. Jane rushed to Maura's side. "Everything alright over here?" He asked quietly.

"Maur?" Jane said softly.

"I'm not sure. Agent Dunham?" Maura said looking pointedly at Olivia. The blond woman was feeling a little foolish. The doctor was right. She was having a pissing match with the brunette Detective. It wasn't very fair.

"We're good." She took a couple of swaggering steps backwards.

"Are you two goin' somewhere?" Jane asked wondering why the two were in the corridor.

"Yes, to Michelle Li's apartment." Maura answered still looking at Agent Dunham.

"I'm going with you." Jane said.

"Jane, I'll be fine."

Jane shook her head. "No, I'm not letting you out of my sight. I'm not giving that sonuvabitch a chance to get to you without me there . If he is gunnin' for us, I will be there to protect you."

"Detective Rizzoli. Let's go. Peter and Frost stay here. Wait for Broyles." The three woman exited the building and got into a black SUV. Jane seemed to be on high alert and was actively looking around from the passenger seat. Maura sat in the back and buckled herself in. Olivia began to drive.

"It's black." Jane looked over at Olivia who spoke. She cocked her head. "Dr. Isles. It's black."

"What is?"

"The pot. The saying. It's the pot calling the kettle...black." Maura was immediately embarrassed by the correction. Jane started laughing. She glared her the back of her head.

"What color did she call them?"

"Well, she said, I was the pot calling the pan grey." Jane laughed harder. Olivia started laughing too. The two women up in the front of the vehicle were laughing together.

"I'm so glad that the two of you find this so funny." Maura sulked.

"Honey," Jane attempted to calm herself. "This is not mean. At all. It's just that you aren't very good at common phrasing. You already know that."

"I tried and should be made fun of for my lack of understanding. Not all pots are black. It's confusing."

Jane looked behind the seat and caught her sad eyes. "Maura, it's one of my favorite things about you. When you get upset, it gets worse. You were defending me in a very sexy way. Don't be hurt. You know, that I love you." Maura froze and Jane did the same. _Shit! Did I just say love. It's been like two days! Rizzoli what is wrong with you! _

"Ok, lovebirds. Spill it what other stuff does the genius Dr. Isles say? You should hear the stuff that comes out of Walter. Seriously, it can't be worse than that." Jane smiled at Maura, who returned it. She reached out and put a hand on the Detective's arm. Jane covered her hand with her own.

"I might get confused on pop culture references. Detective Frost used to always come into the morgue and say, 'What's up, Doc?' I would give him an answer, but he would just laugh. Jane explained that there is a cartoon character..."

"Bugs Bunny, Maur."

"Right. Which I still do not understand why his name involves insects, he is also not a bunny as he seems to be a grown hare. Anyways, apparently he chews on a carrot and says, 'What's up, Doc?'"

"I am familiar with Looney Tunes." Olivia pulled into a parking lot. The three got out of the car and headed toward Michelle's apartment building. At the top of the steps Olivia knocked on the door. She announced the group. No one came to the door. With the search warrant sticking out of her back pocket she lifted her leg and kicked the door near the knob. The front door busted inwards.

Inside there was nothing seemingly out of place. Jane searched the downstairs, while Maura and Olivia looked upstairs. "I brought the book that we found. May I have the keys for the car. I left it on the back seat. It may give us a hint to focus our search." Olivia reached into her pocket and handed over the keys.

Maura heard a phone ring. She checked hers, but it was silent. She heard Agent Dunham answer hers. "Hey, Walter. You have an update for us?" She held up a finger indicating for Maura to wait a minute.

"Yes, Dr. Isles is with me. Yes, she is quite fetching. I'm pretty sure she is seeing someone. Walter! The case. Ok. I'll let her know."

"Dr. Isles. Walter wanted me to tell you that on the sliver of glass that you pulled out of the first body, the lab is reporting Sodium bicarbonate on the glass shard that you found." Maura pondered the information for a moment.

"Did he say if there was anything else?"

"No." She held the phone against her chest.

"That's curious. Why would she use an amphoteric? She must be using it since it is a water soluble mineral. May I speak with him?" Olivia handed over the phone. "Walter? It's Maura. Do you have any idea why she would be using an amphoteric?"

"Ah! Dr. Isles. I am so glad to hear your voice. It's quite lovely." Maura smiled at the compliment. "I believe that she was attempting to neutralize the body's tendency to be more alkaline. It raises the pH."

"Correct, which is why it is used in patients where the blood pH is low. It is often used alongside cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Did the body have any signs of acidosis?"

"Actually, there was a bit of excess of iron. Perhaps, she was supplementing their iron intake in the hopes of keeping the blood oxidized."

"Walter. I don't normally like to guess, but this situation seems to be a little out of my normal. Do you think she is planning on reanimating the hearts? There would be a problem with too much iron in the blood. She's maybe...trying to neutralize the effects?"

"It's quite possible. Though, unnecessary. Organ reanimation is not dependent on the oxygen level of the organ prior to harvesting. By the way. Dr. Isles. I was wondering if you would be free for dinner after this case has been resolved."

"Oh, Walter. That is so very sweet." Maura was attempting to think how to respond when he spoke again.

"Detective Rizzoli is also invited. I don't want her to think I'm trying to steal you away. I just am fascinated by you, my dear."

"We would love that Walter. Thank you for the invitation. I'll see you back in the lab soon." Maura handed the phone back to Olivia and made her way downstairs. See saw Jane's ponytail sticking out of a closet. She walked up to her and placed her hand on her back. Jane jumped.

"Shit, you scared me." She turned to face her. Maura leaned over and kissed her gently.

"Are you ok? Cavanaugh is sending units to both of our houses. Angela and Tommy are at my house and are both safe. And I am with you."

"I know. I just...am tired of this."

"Jane, we'll get through this."

"Yeah." She took a deep breath, "I am not finding anything are you?"

Maura shook her head. "Jane," she started. "I love you, too. I'm going to the SUV to grab Michelle's book see if there is anything in there to help us in our search."

Jane nodded and went back to looking through the closet. Maura walked out of the front door and headed for the vehicle. She opened the door and reached into grab the book. She closed the door and flipped through it for a moment. As she turned around she ran into someone. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there." She said looking at the man who just smiled back at her.

"No problem." He laughed a little. "I should have been watching where I was going. But to run into someone as beautiful as you are. That's just good luck." She smiled at him.

"I appreciate the compliment." She started to walk around him and he stood in her way.

"Sorry. I didn't know you lived in the complex. I would have remembered you." He noticed that the car door was still open. He pointed to it. She looked at it for a moment. She was a little confused as to why he was blocking her way and insisting on continuing a conversation. She smiled tightly at him.

"I'm sorry, I really need to get back inside."

"Is this your vehicle?" She reached out to close the door when he reached out and grabbed her wrist with one hand and held the door open with the other. "Now, Dr. Isles, I need for you to get in the car and hand over the keys. Or I will kill Detective Rizzoli first." She immediately remembered what Jane had taught her, she picked up her knee and stomped into the man's calf in front of her, which caused him to momentarily release her wrist.

"JANE!" she yelled as she began to move her legs and kick her shoes off her feet.

From inside the apartment, Jane heard Maura yell. "MAURA!" She headed for the front door while, Olivia was running down the stairs. When she got outside she saw Maura running across the parking lot with a large man running after her. She pulled her gun out. "Stop!" She yelled and started running after them. Olivia made her way outside and saw the three running. She looked around for a minute and took off running in a different direction.

Maura was faster than he gave her credit for. It was no matter. Neither she nor Jane knew that he had help. He wouldn't have made such a bold move without help. Luckily for him, Dr. Isles was making this easy on him. She was running directly towards his partner. He looked back for a moment and saw Jane hot on their trail. He smiled, this was too easy.

Ahead of her, Maura saw a van. It felt wrong. She felt like she had to run somewhere else. There was no other place to go. She saw the sliding door open and a man climbed out of it and lifted his hand towards her. It was a gun. She stopped running and the man behind her grabbed her and picked her up. In a few steps she was being shoved into the van. The door closed behind her as one man held her down and the other one was on the outside of the van. Duct tape had been ready as the man quickly bound her wrists and mouth. He climbed into the driver seat and started it. He looked out of the windshield anxiously.

Jane saw a man with a gun pointed at her as she ran around the corner. She held hers up keeping it trained on him. "If you shoot me Detective Rizzoli, he has instructions to drive away and put a bullet in her head." Jane immediately flipped her hands up in the air. He motioned for her to put her gun on the ground. Slowly, she did as she was told. She kicked it toward him.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to watch her die, before I kill you. Now, get in the van. We're wasting precious minutes."

"Do you really think he would want someone as unworthy as you to kill me? He only wanted me for himself."

The man laughed loudly. "You think my mentor didn't think me worthy? Before you killed him I met with him at the prison. Get in the van. He will drive away and kill her before he rounds the corner. She took a couple of steps toward the van and he opened the door. Maura was on the floor already bound and frantic looking. Just as she was about to step inside a shot rang out. The man slumped behind her as she heard Olivia's voice yelling for the man in the van to step out. Instead, he pressed his foot to the gas. Jane grabbed the door and threw herself half inside as her legs were still on the street. She pulled herself inside, but not before her foot and ankle drug along the pavement. She felt a burning pain and yelled out.

Olivia ran after the van and popped off a couple more shots towards the van as it sped away. She pulled her phone out and called Broyles. "A man just grabbed Maura and Jane. He sped away. White Chevy van. Heading toward Columbus Ave." She looked down and saw that Maura and dropped the SUV keys. She grabbed them and ran back to where it was parked. "Gonna follow as best I can, sir."


	10. Jar of Hearts

**A/N: Thanks for reading this little story. This is it folks. I hope you enjoyed the little ride of this cross-over. Also, Thank you to my beta...You are the wind beneath my wings.**

Maura looked at Jane and attempted to scream. The tape over her mouth muffled her. Jane winced in pain and reached over to pull on the tape. She grabbed her and held her. She looked over to the driver who was now driving and holding a gun in their direction. "Don't you fucking move." He ordered. "I will shoot you both."

Jane looked at the door that was still open as he sped down the street. She looked at Maura and made sure that she made eye contact. Then, she looked back at the open door. Maura's eyes widened as she understood what Jane was thinking. Suddenly, there was a force moving them toward the front of the van. The door slammed shut as they hit the back of the seats. "Don't even think about it." Jane laid her down on the floor as her leg continued to scream in pain. She squeezed her eyes shut.

The van sped off again. Maura looked down at Jane's leg. The pant leg was ripped, her shoe and sock were gone, and blood was bright against her olive tones skin. Her eyes widened at the sight. She looked frantically back up at Jane. She saw the driver reach his arm around with the gun. He pointed it at her. She reached for Jane. They hit a bump and the arm disappeared. Jane sat up slightly and wrapped her arms around Maura. "We're gonna get outta this. I love you." She began to pull at the duct tape around Maura's hands.

As she worked to get Maura free, the van sped down the freeway. She was thrown from side to side and eventually the tape was off. Jane held on to the other woman and attempted to shield her from the bumps and bangs. She looked around and looked for some type of weapon. She let go of Maura and sat up. Suddenly, the lights went out and the last thing she heard was Maura screaming.

* * *

Olivia made it back to the SUV and found the keys on the pavement. She grabbed them and hopped in. She tore out of the driveway and up the street where she last saw the van. She weaved in and out of traffic as she looked around for any signs of where Jane and Maura were being taken. She came to a cross road and looked left and right. She didn't see any sign of them. She made a quick decision and turned left and hoped for the best. She updated Broyles on her location and directed him to have a team go in the other direction.

Swerving around various vehicles she pressed her foot to the floor. Searching frantically for anything that looked out of the ordinary. She caught a glimpse of a van erratically pulling across the lanes towards an off ramp. She followed suit as they pulled off the freeway. A semi truck pulled in front of her causing her to slam on her brakes. She bounced slightly in her seat and cursed at the driver. She saw the van speed down the street. Once freed from the semi truck, she pulled off in the direction she saw the van go.

* * *

Peter sat on the bench in the hallway. His phone rang and Frost looked over to him as he answered. "Bishop." His face became more serious. "What do you need us to do? We can't just sit here." He rolled his eyes at the order that given. He pulled the phone from his ear and looked at Frost. "Something's happened. Someone grabbed Jane and Maura. Olivia's in pursuit."

Frost started walking down the hall. "Hey, we are to stay here."

"The hell we are." He said without breaking his gate. Peter jogged over to him and grabbed his arm.

"Frost, I know she's your partner. But we were ordered to stand down." He pulled his arm out of Peter's grip. He rolled his jaw and slammed his hand into the nearest wall. "It sounded like Olivia's right behind them. She can handle this."

"This is bullshit, man!"

"I know." A sound at the end of the hall made both men turn their head towards the noise. They could make out a girl with a backpack walking down the hallway. Frost looked at Peter as they both recognized Michelle Li. She had not looked up to see the two men looking at her.

Frost whispered, "Follow my lead." Peter nodded. He looked up at Michelle, "Excuse me do you have a key to this room over here?" Michelle looked up they them with wide eyes. Frost chuckled, "My girlfriend's lab is in there. I wanted to leave her a little present." She looked at him as she walked closer. She looked at Peter as well.

"Who's your girlfriend?" She asked simply. She stopped walking when he smiled as he paused.

"Janis. Janis LeFevre." He quickly recalled. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Her lab isn't in there."

He spun around and looked at the door. He pointed at it. "Are you sure?" He asked dumbly.

Peter saw her face twitch, "Man, you don't even know where her lab is. You're a shitty boyfriend." He forced a laugh and Frost punched him in the shoulder. He didn't realize that her eyes shifted to his belt as his gun and badge were briefly revealed by the motion. The moment she saw gold, she turned and started running. Both men began to run after her.

Michelle ran around the corner and slipped the backpack from her shoulders. A loud crash echoed in the corridor as the glass jar that was inside shattered and liquid went everywhere. Frost saw it drop and hurdled over it. Peter's foot slid through the water and he fell down. He looked down and saw a heart slide across the floor. "Peter!" He heard his name and looked behind him to see Nina Sharp running towards him. She reached out her good hand and helped him up. He muttered thanks and followed Frost out of the building.

Nina looked down at the heart on the floor. She lifted the backpack up and pulled out an interesting looking contraption. She held it in her hands and examined it. She looked behind her and saw her assistant coming towards her. "Take this back to our lab. We need to find out how this works."

"Yes, Ms. Sharp." He pulled out a large bag and placed the device into it. He turned around and walked back the way he had come. She looked around for a moment and decided to stand guard.

Frost hurdled a pushed over trash can as he attempted to catch up to the girl who was faster than he anticipated. She ran down the street and jumped sideways across a yard. He lost sight of her for a moment as he sprinted in pursuit. He saw her again as she slipped behind a large piece of plywood. Peter rounded the corner as Frost slowed down. He held his hand out. "She," he took a few breaths, "Went in there. I don't think there's a way out."

"I'll go around back," Peter said.

"You don't gotta gun!" Peter waved him off.

"Yeah, but you do." Frost un-holstered his weapon and slowly approached the rickety doorway. Peter made his way to the back of the building. He ducked inside what seemed to be a rear entrance. He stepped over piles of debris and ducked fallen joists and other material that hung above his head. He looked around and heard a noise below him. He looked over and saw Frost in front of him. He pointed at the floor and Frost nodded. They came upon a door and they opened it to reveal a stairway to a basement.

Frost started making his way down the steps, gun at the ready. Peter was behind him. There was a single light bulb swinging from a cord the light moved across the room, both men flashed their eyes every which way to catch any other movement. Frost saw her first. "Michelle Li, Boston Police Department."

She was sitting on the floor holding a jar to her chest. "Please." she said softly. "I love them." He trained his weapon on her.

"Michelle, I need you to put your hands in the air." He ordered. She started to cry.

"This is the only way," she sobbed. "The only way I could be sure."

"Be sure of what?" Peter asked.

"That they would never leave me. They would love me forever. Their heart is the key to their love." Slowly, she stood up with the jar in hand. The light swayed toward her and Peter could see a human heart floating.

"Put the jar down and get your hands in the air," Frost ordered again. She reached out and put the jar on the table. Her hands moved upwards. He grabbed his handcuffs from his belt and fastened them securely. "You have the right to remain silent." He continued to read the memorized speech to his suspect and began to take her back upstairs. Peter turned and saw a shelf with other jars. There were hearts of different shapes and sizes. He immediately recognized the heart of a swine and bovine. He shook his head and followed Frost back to the lab.

Once back, Frost closed the door on his cruiser. Michelle sat in the seat and sobbed. He looked over at Peter. "Who can come and take this wacko to lock up?" Peter laughed.

"I'll call it in."

"I'm going to find Jane and Maura."

"No, you gotta stay here. Olivia will find them." Nina came out of the building and walked towards them.

"Peter. Your father is going to want to see those hearts. Did you find the device?"

"No, there was nothing where we picked her up. I thought it would be here."

"No, we didn't find anything. Just the backpack with the broken jar. She may have hidden it. I'm sure your team will find it." She looked at Frost. "And you are?"

"Detective Barry Frost, ma'am. Boston Homicide." He held out his hand. She grabbed it and he could have sworn it was some kind of metal. He looked at it quizzically. She pulled it back.

"Pleased to meet you, Nina Sharp. Massive Dynamic." She smiled.

"It's nice to meet you Ms. Sharp. I've read about you in the paper." She looked back to Peter.

"I will see you soon. Tell Walter we should have lunch soon."

"I will Nina. Thanks." The two men watched her walk away.

* * *

"Get out." The man held the gun towards them as Jane lifted her hands and slowly got out of the open door. Maura followed suit but Jane stood in front of her.

"Look, I know that it's me that you want. Your partner is gone. Just take me where ever you need to take me. Let her walk away. You don't need us both." Jane took a cautious step forward. Her foot was bleeding from being scraped against the asphalt.

"Jane, NO!" Maura said forcefully.

"Not up for discussion." She replied not taking her eyes off of the man in front of her.

"Both of you shut up! Start walking." He pointed and they started walking toward a warehouse. The man looked around shakily. Jane was limping her way in the direction he indicated, while trying to put herself between Maura and the crazy man with the gun. He had weaved his way through the streets until he finally had lost the black SUV. He followed the two women and wondered how he was going to control two of them by himself. They had already gotten the smaller one out of the restraints. He panicked for a few more minutes as they walked into the building. He kicked Jane in the back of the knees.

She cried out and fell to the floor. Maura attempted to tend to her and was backhanded in the face. She held her face and looked at him. He trained his gun on Jane. "I want you to start walking. Do you hear me? You walk back to where ever you came from. If you try to come in here and play savior, I swear I will put a bullet in her skull. You know what that would do, right Dr. Isles?" Maura slowly nodded.

"I'm not leaving her." Maura said defiantly. He looked at Jane on the floor then back up at her. He started to drop his hand when suddenly a shot rang out. Jane screamed in pain and grabbed her already bloody foot. Maura looked down and saw the bullet hole.

"You will leave. Or I'll continue up her goddamned leg." He moved the gun slightly. She looked at Jane for a moment and pleaded with her.

"Maura, please. Do what he says. I love you. Remember that." Maura started to cry. She looked back at her detective.

"Always. I love you, too." The man was getting agitated. Maura turned and started to walk. She looked up towards the door they had come through and she saw Agent Dunham with her weapon drawn and a finger to her lips. She started walking faster towards the door.

"Yeah, she loves you a lot. Seems like she's running out of here to leave you with me. Now, Detective. Someone wants to see you." He yanked her up by her arm and started to pull her away from where Maura had gone. Jane was hobbling along as best she could behind him. She looked back and saw the same thing that Maura had seen. Maura was safe. She looked back to the man and pulled her arm out of his grip. As he turned she swung her fist and connected with his face.

He stumbled backwards and tried to bring the gun back around to face her. "DROP IT!" Olivia yelled. His eyes made their way over to the blond. He dropped the gun to the floor. He held his hands up.

"He's not gonna be happy." He warned. Jane hopped out of the way and Maura came running back to help her. With an arm draped over her shoulders, Maura started to walk her back to the door. Suddenly, a man appeared out of thin air in front of them. He was wearing a suit and had a fedora on his bald head. Maura looked at him in shock for a moment. He put a hand on each of them and suddenly they were all outside. Maura looked over and saw a SWAT team lead by Agent Broyles storming the building. Jane and Maura looked at each other wide eyed by the sudden transportation out of the building. They looked for the man who brought them outside but he was nowhere to be found.

An ambulance arrived on the scene as medics attended Jane's foot wounds. Maura sat next to her with a blanket around her shoulders. Soon, Olivia and Broyles were bringing out three men cuffed. "There were two other men in the warehouse. They were all planning on torturing you both. And then ransoming you for money. They were not Hoyt followers. They were using that as a means to an end." She pointed to the foot that was now being wrapped. She smiled and nodded her head. "Not bad for a day." Jane laughed.

"You're alright Agent Dunham."

"Please, call me Olivia, Detective."

"Ah, then you've gotta call me Jane." They smiled at each other in mutual respect.

"Well, Jane, I got a call from Peter. They got Michelle Li while I was chasing you two down. And he's trying to hold Frost there. But it's not easy. Kinda stubborn that guy."

"He's my partner." She said simply. Maura watched the exchange with a smile.

"It was nice working with you Agent Dunham, Olivia." Maura said with her hand outstretched. "Thank you for saving us."

"No problem. Broyles will keep in touch about any follow up." She heard her name and nodded at the agent. "Excuse me." She said and walked away.

Maura looked at Jane, "Jane," she put her hands on both sides of her face and kissed her. She looked over at the medic. He looked a little uncomfortable and excused himself. She looked back at Jane.

"Maura, did a man in a suit like transport us out of that building?" Jane said in a hushed tone.

"Jane, that is not possible. We must both just be in shock." She attempted to dismiss the notion.

"Is that what you experienced?"

"My mind clearly assumed that a man in a suit appeared out of thin air. Which is completely preposterous. Then, it seemed as though we were suddenly just out here. But I haven't seen any man like that since. We were in shock and did not remember walking outside."

"If it was shock then how did we both experience the exact same thing?" Maura opened her mouth and then closed it. She looked down at the ground. "I think this Fringe division may be masking things that science can't quite explain."

Maura looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think you may be right. I can't explain what happened to us or why." She knew that she could not resolve what had happened. It was better for her to not deal with something that could not be explained away. "Jane, I just want us to go home." The medic made his way back around.

"You're supposed to go to the hospital per procedure." Jane rolled her eyes. "But this guy over here took care of that for you. You just have to sign this waiver." She signed the paper and was handed crutches. Special Agent Broyles stood by the two women as the medic packed up his supplies and left.

"Detective Rizzoli, Dr. Isles. I trust that you heard about Michelle Li? We'll need a follow up meeting in a few days to get your reports." Both women nodded their heads.

"Dr. Isles!" Maura looked over and saw Walter Bishop and Astrid making their way through the throng of people. He held his hand up in the air and waved it. She smiled and waved back. "Dr. Isles, thank goodness you are alright! I was worried sick when we heard of your abduction! I had Aster bring me straight away!"

"Thank you, Walter. I appreciate your concern."

Walter looked at Jane, "Detective Rizzoli? What on Earth happened to you?"

"I was shot in the foot after it was dragged along a street." Jane said.

"Oh dear."

"Dr. Bishop," Jane started. "I want to ask you something. You understand this Fringe stuff." He nodded. "While we were in the warehouse, a bald man in a dark suit with white skin appeared out of thin air, touched us and we were out here. I didn't walk. What the hell was that?"

"There are some things Detective Rizzoli that you don't need to know. You are not crazy, if that is what you need to hear. However, I don't think it would make sense without revealing too much to the both of you. The man is an old friend of mine. If he helped you there was a very important reason for it. You should be very grateful." Maura's eyes widened and she took a deep breath.

"Walter, that is not possible."

"Dr. Isles. You and I will sit down one day and I will explain this to you. But I assure you that he did pull you out of that building for a reason."

"I will take you up on that offer, Walter. I say we set up a dinner date for the two of us." She smiled at the man, who was clearly blushing.

"I would greatly enjoy that." Peter and Frost walked over.

"Jane!" Frost yelled, "Thank God! I was so worried. Are you and Dr. Isles alright?"

"Yeah, we're alright. I got shot in the foot. I'll be off duty for a little while. You gonna be able to handle the old man by yourself?"

"You know I can handle Doctor Dolittle," he laughed. "That girl was crazy. But she's being processed. You two should go home and relax. Rest for that foot."

"I appreciate it," Jane reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "You're a good man, Frost."

Peter stood there and smiled at Jane. "You made it, eh?" She laughed. "I have a feeling you and Olivia get along now?" She shrugged and then nodded.

"Yeah, she's actually pretty nice. She did save our lives and all." Maura pushed her shoulder. "We've actually come to an understanding."

Peter smiled and shook his head. "Go home and get some rest."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." She smirked at the man and then shook his hand. She looked at Maura, "Let's go home."

* * *

**Five Weeks Later**

Jane stood in the bathroom after putting on her black running shorts and a white tank top. She looked down at her foot. The scarring was minimal. The ache was less. She was finally back to work. It was hard to not be able to tell Korsak about how she was shot in the foot. She told him a vague story about helping on a case with the FBI and was shot by a suspect. He told her that there seemed to be more to the story. She laughed and said he had no idea.

It was even harder to keep her relationship with Maura a secret from her mother. That had only lasted about four days after Angela found out about the injury. She had come into Maura's early to make breakfast. When she went to wake up Jane, she was no longer in the guest room and it hadn't looked as if she were there. She went to wake Maura and found the two cuddled up together in bed. She woke them up and immediately asked which one would be carrying her grandchildren. Jane rolled her eyes and Maura started to get hives. She relented and told them that breakfast was ready.

Jane walked back into the bedroom and climbed into bed. Maura was already there and had a bowl of popcorn in her lap. "I love that you do stuff like this for me." She said once she got comfortable.

Maura gave her a confused look. "Like what?" She grabbed a fluff and put it in her mouth.

Jane reached over and grabbed a handful out of the bowl. "Allowing popcorn in your bed for movie night."

"Uh huh. And maybe putting a television in my bedroom?"

"That too. But that was necessary if I was gonna be on bed rest."

"That was definitely the excuse that you used to sway me." Jane laughed and leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. She grabbed the remote from her nightstand and pressed play. They settled in and watched the movie they both had agreed on. Eventually, Jane took over the popcorn bowl and set it on her nightstand.

The movie was a comedy and both laughed throughout the entire thing. "Ok, well, I'm gonna go get a glass of water. Do you need anything?" Jane looked over at Maura.

"I'm fine. I'm going to go brush my teeth. Do you want me to get your water?"

"Nope, I'm walking now. I'll get it." She moved the covers and moved to get out of the bed. Her elbow hit the half empty popcorn bowl and it spilled all over the floor. Maura rolled her eyes and leaned over to see the damage. "I've got it." Jane bent over and started picking up kernels and throwing them back into the bowl. Maura caught a glimpse of Jane's perfectly sculpted form and tilted her head as she felt arousal take over.

She unconsciously started to shift in the bed. Jane looked over her shoulder and saw her. "I'm sorry, Maur. I've got it. Don't worry about it." Maura didn't respond as Jane bent back down and got back to her chore. Instead she moved over to Jane's side of the bed and continued to watch her. Jane had a beautiful body. And it had been a while since they had been intimate with one another. Maura was becoming very aware of that fact as she started to imagine grabbing the ass she had in front of her. Jane heard the movement and turned around, "Geez, I said I was sorry! I'll get the vacuum in a minute. Let me get the big pieces first." She turned back around and Maura saw a kernel on the bed. She picked it up.

"Jane," she said quietly, "I think you missed a piece." Jane looked up at her and she threw it across the room.

"Seriously?" She walked over and bent down to grab the piece. Maura moaned. Jane turned around slowly. She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "You aren't upset about the popcorn are you?" Maura slowly shook her head and bit her bottom lip. "You were checking me out weren't you?" A blush came across her face as she nodded. Jane smiled and dropped the bowl and it clattered to the floor.

She advanced on the woman in the bed and climbed up over the top of her. "If this was something you were interested you could have just told me." She leaned down and kissed her hard. Maura slid a hand up to Jane's collarbone and kissed her back. Jane pulled back and began to kiss along her jawline and down her neck.

Maura's other hand went into Jane's unruly hair and she grabbed the back of her neck. She shifted her hips until she could press them up into Jane's leg. They moved their lower bodies together slowly as Jane's lips found her own. A hand slid up her t-shirt, grabbed her breast and squeezed. She lightly rubbed her thumb across a nipple and began to pull up on the shirt. Maura got the hint and sat up slightly and removed it entirely. Jane smiled and leaned down and kissed her along her collarbone and across the top of her chest, while her hand kneaded the mound in her palm. She moved her lips down and took the hardened peak into her mouth and flicked the pebble with her tongue. A loud moan escaped Maura's lips.

Soon, Jane moved to the other side and paid attention to Maura's other side and moved a hand down her taut stomach. She stopped when she got to the waistband of Maura's shorts. She released the nipple with a slight pop. She looked at her face and watched as eyes opened. She smirked and slid her fingers past the boundary. Her eyes widened as she realized Maura did not have on anything under the shorts. Fingers slid lower into her folds through the slick wetness. "Wait," Maura said. Jane stopped. She reached up and gently pushed her shoulder and Jane complied and laid on her back in the middle of the bed. Maura grabbed her hand and held it as she straddled her. Lowering herself onto her long fingers she settled herself and began rocking her hips. Jane shifted her wrist until it was rubbing against her own center. Both women moved their hips until Maura pulled in a sharp gasp.

Her orgasm hit her and waved through her body and Jane's movements quickened and she felt her shudder and groan with her last bit of energy. Jane withdrew her hand and Maura climbed up and laid her head on her shoulder. "Hmmm," she moaned contentedly. She slid her hand up Jane's tank top and rubbed her stomach as Jane's breathing attempted to return to normal.

Jane closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensations of Maura's body against hers. "So, me picking up popcorn does it for ya?"

Maura laughed, "No, but you bending over in those shorts does." Jane shifted to look at Maura's face.

"These shorts?" Maura nodded, reached around and grabbed her ass. "Doctor Isles."

"Detective Rizzoli." Maura grabbed Jane's face and kissed her. "I think we have one more round left in us."

Jane smiled and started pushing her shorts down her hips. "Always."

**The End.**


End file.
